Catching Up, Season One: In The Beginning
by princessg101
Summary: Dean, Mary, and Cas have saved Sam and now they are back in their bunker only the Winchester boys are having hard time explaining what their mother had missed since her death. The solution? Watch the DVDs from the show Supernatural that have been mysteriously given to Sam over the years since that debacle in the other universe. More characters to be added at the story goes on.
1. Prologue

Catching Up  
Prologue: Um Mom, It's A Long Story

There hadn't been much time to talk at first. The moment Dean and Mary got back to the bunker they saw the puddle of blood and knew something was horribly wrong. Thankfully Dean could still reach Cas on his cell and, passing over the angel's elation that Dean survived, got a description of the woman who ambushed them. After that it was almost too easy. The woman wasn't very good at stealth and covering her tracks. Lady Toni Bevell had taken Sam to England on a private jet and with a few well-placed prayers to the Angel of Thursday, they were there ahead her. They staked out her home and the airport for when she returned but Sam wasn't with her. Under interrogation, she admitted that she had been simply following orders and that the other Men of Letters had taken him from her when they landed at a private air strip. Cas searched the entire city of London until he found a basement underneath an old Victorian home. The Men of Letters had been keeping Sam there, bound and gagged to a chair, and the angel easily took him away. It appeared that while they knew a lot, these Men of Letters had little practice at actually putting the knowledge to use. Sam didn't say much about it so Cas just brought them home.

Finally when they were back in the bunker, the Winchester boys could have their reunion with their mother. "My babies," she hugged them both. "I can't believe how grown up you are and you're hunters." She pulled away to cup their faces. "I had hoped that you two wouldn't have to live this life. What did your father say?"

"Oh, uh well mom, that's the thing," Dean and Sam exchanged awkward looks. "We never knew you had been a hunter until later. Dad was…the reason we became hunters."

"John encouraged you to hunt?"

"Strongly encouraged," Sam scratched his head while Dean nodded briskly.

Mary looked between them, "I get the feeling you boys aren't tell me everything."

"Mrs. Winchester if I may," Castiel interjected. "I believe the phrase 'gross understatement' applies here."

"Thank you Cas," Dean made a face.

"Boys what aren't you saying?" Mark put her hands on her hips.

"It's a really long story mom," Dean blew out a breath. "I don't even know where to begin."

"Hang on I got an idea," Sam ran to his room and came back with a huge boxset of DVDs.

"What is that?" Dean asked before he saw the cover art. "Where did you get those?"

"Stole them from Jared Padalecki's house but there wasn't this many," Sam frowned slightly. "It seems like every year another DVD gets added talking about everything we'd been through for that time."

"Well that's strange," Dean snarked. "Thanks for telling me Sammy."

"They're not hexed or cursed," Sam shrugged. "I always get a note, 'Enjoy Sam'."

"What are these things?" Mary asked, pulling a DVD from the boxset. Her eyes widened, "Is that you two?"

"Alternate universe versions of us who are actually actors on television show depicting our lives," Dean clarified and Mary was even more confused. "Yeah we know, it's weirded us out too."

"Mom, these are DVDs from the show. Like tapes but on a CD. They'll tell you everything you need to know about what's been going on." Sam offered them to her. "I mean they don't cover every single detail but you'll get the gist of it."

"Why don't we watch it together then? You boys can fill in the blanks," Mary proposed logically.

"I guess we can do that right Dean?" Sam looked his brother.

"I don't know man, reliving the last -" Dean did a quick count of the DVDs, "Eleven years is not exactly going to be pleasant."

"Maybe not but mom has the right to know what's been happening to her family and I want to make sure she understands," Sam argued back and Dean's shoulders dropped in defeat.

"Fine but if we're going to get through this then I'm going to need at least a beer and burger," with that Dean went to the kitchen but he stopped mid-step and turned back grinning. "Cas you're in this too so don't you dare fly that feathery ass anywhere."

"Of course Dean," Cas had a ghost of smirk on his face. "I can think of some 'experiences' of yours that I'm highly interested in hearing what your mother has to say about."

The smile slid off Dean's face as the implications hit him. "Son of a bitch," he grumbled.

"Language young man," Mary reprimanded to snickers from the other two.

"Great, just great," Dean huffed and stalked to the kitchen.

 **A/N: Hey guys, I'll be going into what happened with Sam and the Men of Letters as the series but let me just say, all is not what it seems. That being said please, please, please, make my birthday and drop a review. I hope you enjoy the story as we follow along this journey of laughter, tears, and a whole lot of sass. Until next time, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	2. Episode 1 - Pilot

Catching Up  
Chapter 1 – Pilot

 **A/N: Hey guys, time for the fun to begin but of course, we need to get through the emotionally traumatizing episode that was the pilot. I'll be taking the episode descriptions from the Canadian version on Netflix, I don't know how different they'll be but just a heads up in case.**

With burgers and beers all around, Cas, Dean, Mary, and Sam piled into the study where Sam had set up the TV and DVD player. They had a pretty decent length couch for all the Winchesters and a couple of armchairs where Cas chose to sit. Sam went to the menu and selected the very first episode simply labelled 'Pilot.'

Mary read the description, "Two brothers witness their mother's paranormal death and are trained to fight by their father, who aims to hunt down the thing that killed his wife. John…"

The brothers had nothing they could say to her so Dean gestured for Sam to hit play and it began with a shot of their house in Lawrence. The caption said it was 22 years ago. "Oh no," Dean breathed.

"This is when I…" Mary immediately understood.

"We don't have to watch this," Sam offered but Mary shook her head, already transfixed at the scene of their happy family. With heavy hearts, they watched Mary put little Sammy to bed, a younger, happier John and an innocent Dean giggling about playing football with his baby brother. They had had everything they wanted but they knew it wouldn't last long and it didn't. The scene shifted to when Mary woke up to check on Sammy and real Mary grabbed both her sons' hands. The two brothers held tight as they waited for Mary to realize there was stranger in the room and for Mary to go back. Thankfully they didn't show the actual attack only John hearing a scream but the image of their mother on the ceiling, bleeding right before bursting into flames was too much for Dean. He got up and turned his back on the television screen. Listening to the sounds of the flames and his father telling him to take Sammy. He remembered everything with perfect clarity, the smell, the noise, the heat of house compared to the cold of the night. Mary forced herself to watch the aftermath, blaming her own carelessness until she saw the deadened look in John's eyes and grabbed the remote to press pause. It froze on her husband's face, her family's lives forever darkened. She hunched over, a few stray tears rolling down her face.

"Mom it's okay," Dean returned to hold her.

"It's not," Mary whispered. "I was so stupid. I was – am – a trained hunter. There is so much you boys don't know, so many mistakes of mine."

"We probably know more than you think and we don't blame you for anything," Sam assured her. "Maybe we should stop or skip this episode?"

"No," Mary wiped her face. "I'm fine. Besides, it's over now." They started again and the title card for Supernatural flashed by. The words 'Stanford University, Present' appeared and a girl in a nurse's costume was onscreen calling for Sam. "Who is that?"

"Jessica," Sam smiled albeit sadly. "My old girlfriend." 'Ex' didn't really seem like the right term neither did 'former'.

"She's lovely Sam," Mary patted his leg. "And you went to Stanford, well done." Just then Jared (hereafter referred to as TV!Sam) appeared onscreen.

"Okay that's trippy," Dean observed. "I didn't know you'd kept that photo."

"174?" Mary's jaw dropped. "Oh sweetheart, you would've gotten into any law school in the world with grades that high. What happened?"

"You'll see," Sam said simply watching TV!Sam discuss the family and Jessica's support. He didn't exactly crash and burn without her but it came pretty close. The scene moved to them in bed and Sam sighed, "Welp here comes big brother."

"I do not understand," Cas said. "It appears you have an intruder."

"We did," Sam deadpanned.

"Aw come on Sammy, don't be like that. How else was I supposed to see you?" Dean smirked. "Besides that was some pretty good on-the-spot sparring there tiger."

"Two things and they're called a phone and a door, learn to use them," Sam shot back. "Say hello to soap opera wonder Jensen Ackles playing the role of Dean Winchester." (also hereafter referred to as TV!Dean)

"Look I'm giving him a pass since he's obviously handsome and awesome, the dude had a helicopter in his trailer, but never mention that daytime crap again," Dean warned.

"I never did punch you for hitting on Jessica," Sam recalled.

"Think we became a bit more concerned with dad," Dean nodded to the screen as TV!Dean explained that their father hadn't been home in a few days.

"Sam how could you be so callous? Miller time shift?" Mary repeated incredulously. "John became a drunk?"

"He wasn't the same guy anymore mom," Dean shook his head but things only got worse.

"He gave our nine year-old a .45?!" Mary damn-near shrieked. She listened in shock and dismay as TV!Sam and TV!Dean recapped their childhood in a few sentences. In between Sam's nonchalant, couldn't-care-less left-it-all-behind attitude and Dean's overcompensating doggedness, her boys sounded like hunters who'd been at the job for years. Judging by the inside of the impala, she wasn't wrong. Dean was even working solo.

"Mom are you mad at us?" Dean suddenly looked thirty years younger and a whole lot more vulnerable.

"I'm upset but I could never be really mad at you boys, not even John, though I do wish I could slug him right now," Mary sipped her beer, letting the tart, bitter taste cool her temper. The other three chuckled lowly as they listened to the rundown of the case. Men going missing on the same highway and then John disappeared leaving behind a strange voice message with EVP. TV!Sam agreed to go and said goodbye to Jessica.

"Was that…" Dean looked over at his brother. "The last time…"

"Yeah, it was." Mary's gaze flicked between them but they said no more. They watched some guy see a girl on the side of a road and pick her up before being attacked.

"Dude how stupid could you be?" Dean scoffed. "You don't see a car, she leads you to a rundown house, disappears without ever opening the door and you stick around?"

"Not everyone is blessed with your stellar mental prowess Dean," Cas stated. "As evidenced by your choice of names for this credit card scheme."

Sam cracked up, "Cas I love you man."

"I am very fond of you as well Sam," Cas smiled.

"Mom they're picking up me!" Dean whined.

"Samuel, Castiel, don't tease Dean," Mary held her eldest son. "It's not his fault he inherited his father's ability for choosing names. Trust me, you don't want to know what he wanted to name you."

"He also inherited dad's way out-of-date music collection," Sam told her. "That can't be helped either."

"Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole," the two Deans said simultaneously. TV!Sam and TV!Dean found the crime scene and TV!Dean displayed his collection of counterfeit badges and IDs.

"You know when most mothers find their sons with fake IDs it might be fore sneaking into clubs or buying alcohol but my boys? No, they sneak onto crime scenes," Mary sighed. TV!Dean took a shot at the cop and Mary had to refrain from rolling her eyes. "You and your grandfather have no difference Dean. He never did have patience or manners for the police."

"I was not aware Dean had patience or manners for anyone," Cas chimed in and Sam and Mary both laughed this time.

"Seriously? Did I offend you somehow Castiel?" Dean asked.

"No. I am merely engaging in some banter. We are family after all," Cas added and Dean deflated a little.

"Yeah we are but don't push it," Dean sat back as their television counterparts interrogated those two girls and found out about the highway's legend.

"Oh look, the good ole days when Dean actually did research," Sam glowered.

"Hey, screw you man I do tons of research," Dean defended himself.

"Busty Asian Beauties doesn't count," Sam muttered and Dean pretended to be scandalized.

"Samuel Winchester how dare you bring up such filth in front of your mother?" Dean covered Mary's ears while she just laughed it off however the jovial mood slipped away as the characters onscreen began to fight on the bridge.

"Guess I was wrong about mom never coming back," Sam said softly.

"Yeah but at the time, you were more right than I wanted to admit," Dean replied. "Let's just skip the chick flick moment alright?" Mary stayed silent throughout the exchange, what really could she say?

"Whatever man, you may want to close your eyes for this part," Sam grinned.

"Why?"

"Don't you remember what happened to Baby on the bridge?" Sam reminded him.

"Damn ghosts," Dean grouched. "At least you didn't end up in the water."

"Well you caught up with your father," despite her ire Mary was eager to see John. Until she saw the empty motel room, "Or not."

"Sorry mom, he doesn't make an appearance for a while," Dean told her.

"Jesus," Mary breathed as they took in the full sight of what John had been doing. "I've been around a lot of hunters but this is…"

"He got really involved with his cases," Sam recalled. "He called it being meticulous, I preferred obsessed but he was good at what he did."

"One of the best," Dean chimed in.

"Show me a hunter and I'll show you a soul-scarred man, that's what my father used to say," Mary mused. "John does seem thorough. I wonder who he got to train him."

"Bobby Singer, you'll see him later. He was like another dad to us," Sam said as TV!Sam figured out what was going on.

"A woman in white, classic," Dean commented. "We never get cases like that anymore."

"I can see where one might tire from apocalypses," Cas looked over at Dean. "My suggestion would be to try not starting another one."

"Technically only the last one could be considered my fault," Dean argued. "But not really since a lot of it was out of my hands."

"That's pretty much the story for every world-ending scenario we've started," Sam laughed.

"And we've all had a turn," Cas pointed out.

"Mary Winchester this is your life," Mary nearly face-palmed. The guys chuckled and returned their attention to the screen.

"You never call me jerk anymore Sam," Dean pouted.

"Call me a bitch and I'll deck you," Sam snickered. "Still surprised dad hung on to that photo." TV!Dean was arrested and Mary was crossed between humour and disapproval at his sass.

"Too much like your grandfather," she said. The officer onscreen dropped the journal on the table and she added, "That's your father's father's journal. He ran off when John was young but John kept it, never could explain why."

"He didn't actually run away Mom but we'll get to that," Sam informed her. They watched TV!Sam interrogate the husband about his wife's death and Dean's escape.

"Little harsh weren't you Sammy?" Dean asked. "And reckless calling in a fake 911."

"I needed you out of there and I didn't have time for your usual crap you pull with the police," Sam scoffed. "Most career criminals would just break out but not Dean-freaking-Winchester, he's got to toy with them. I bet you could've gotten away at least a dozen times by the time I called."

"Sam you would've hated working with me then," Mary commented. "I used to drag things out just for kicks. One time I even lawyered up for the hell of it."

"MOM?!" Her boys exclaimed together.

On-screen TV!Sam drove the Impala into the house and woman in white was dragged down by the spirits of her children. "That was pretty ingenious Sam," Cas complimented him.

"Thanks man," Sam smiled.

"I don't understand," Mary furrowed her brow. "Dean took Sam back to school, what happened?"

"You'll see," Sam's smiled had completely faded. "Excuse me." He got up and left just as his television counterpart came in through the door. Dean made a 'let him go' gesture to Mary and they continued to watch the show. Outside, Sam could hear the sounds of his screams and the flames igniting and burning. He ran to the kitchen to get away and braced the wall, dragging in breaths like he'd run a marathon. Just then an eerily familiar voice seem to come from out of nowhere.

 _It wasn't your fault_

 **A/N: Hey guys, this was actually much harder than I anticipated but I really like it. Yeah I decided to let Cas pick on Dean a little just to play with the dynamic between them. Not sure how shippy this is going to get, I'm pretty much settled on including one ship that I won't mention right now (spoilers) but haven't decided on any others. Stay tuned folks. Until next time ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	3. Episode 2 - Wendigo

Catching Up  
Chapter 2 – Wendigo

Sam searched wildly around for the source of the voice. "Come out you son of a bitch," he growled to the thin air.

"Sam?" It was Mary. She appeared at the kitchen doorway, concern written all over her face. "Are you okay?"

Sam took a breath and cut his eyes upwards to the ceiling before meeting his mother's gaze. "I'm fine mom, it's just been a rough couple of days."

"And seeing Jessica's death didn't help," Mary came forward and hugged her younger son. "I'm so sorry you lost her."

"Me too," Sam pulled away. "But I'm better now. Is the second episode queued up?"

"You want to continue?"

"Absolutely," Sam insisted. "Let's just get some more drinks and we'll head right back."

"Okay," Mary patted his cheek gently. When they returned to the study, Dean and Cas were going through the other DVDs.

"Looks like you come in during the fourth season dude," Dean was saying. "We've got a long way to go."

"We'll get there all the same," Cas said calmly. He noticed the other two come in, "Are you alright Sam?"

"Fine Cas, thanks," Sam assured him. "What's the next episode?"

"Wendigo," Dean read off. "Sam and Dean follow the coordinates in their father's journal and land in Colorado, where they investigate the disappearance of several campers. Man I really do miss cases like this."

"I look and see if there are any cases nearby," Sam promised. "I don't want us going too far with the Men of Letters still hanging around. What are the odds they are just going to let us go?"

"Good point but it would be nice to do a pick-up job while we figure that situation out," Dean hit play and the recap of the previous episode played before the title card. The show opens with some guys camping in the woods while something apparently stalks them in the dark.

"Oooohhhooohhh," Sam wiggled his fingers in the air. "Could this be a cheesier slasher flick beginning?"

"Maybe we should turn off the lights and grab some blankets?" Dean smirked. "Actually," he hopped off the couch just as the second man was taken and the lights in the study turned off. Dean sat back down with a wink watching the final person almost being attacked before it switched to TV!Sam at a gravesite.

"That's eerie, this was a dream," Sam said. "How the hell did they get that right?"

"How the hell did they get anything right?" Dean countered dubiously. "Speaking of cheesy horror, Carrie much?"

"Dude shut up," Sam shook his head.

TV!Sam and TV!Dean were in wildlife office and Ranger Wilkinson came in. "I always did love it when the information just fell into our laps." Mary mused. "You'd think officials would be more discreet but nah."

"Okay we have to go hunting with mom," Dean declared.

"Dean, this is an honest query." Cas interrupted. "How many IDs did you have initially?"

"More than enough buddy," Dean answered. "Pretty sure I could've snuck into Fort Knox if I wanted to."

"Waste of time," Mary said dismissively and Sam and Dean stared. "I didn't actually get it in, my great uncle did. The story is in one of my father's journals."

"That would've made a sweet bedtime story mom, just saying," Dean threw out there. In the show, the boys met Hayley and discussed her brother's disappearance. They uncover the attacks occurring every twenty-three years and met with Mr. Shaw.

"Corporeal," Dean grinned. "Why did you stop talking like that Sammy? I was learning something."

"Like anything ever stuck," Sam shot back. "You used that word for three days straight after this case but never bothered to find out what it actually meant."

"I could figure it out, given the context," Dean explained. "Besides you were strung so tight, one of us needed to lighten the mood."

"I had good reason to be," Sam countered. "I just wanted to find dad and whatever it was that killed Jessica. I don't know, I guess I thought I'd feel better once it was over. I was wrong but still…"

"Hunts rarely ever help," Mary said sagely. "I get the feeling this guide is going to be a pain in the ass." She nodded to screen where they joined Hayley to begin searching the ridge.

"I wish I had begun working with you sooner, I could have easily taken care of this," Cas commented.

"Why don't angels become more involved?" Mary asked.

"We are the shepherds of man, we tend but do not interfere. In life, death, the natural order, we could not change it. I'm not exactly the standard-bearer for my kind Mrs. Winchester. In fact I'm fairly certain I'm the example of exactly why angels shouldn't become involved."

"Aw Cas don't beat yourself up, your Grace was in the right place," Dean comforted his friend. "What Cas is trying to say mom is that most angels are asses who don't really give a crap. In Cas's case, he full-on rebelled against heaven to take our side."

"That's…something," having no real response, Mary returned her attention to the screen.

TV!Dean and Roy were locking horns and everyone in the room simply rolled their eyes. Hayley confronted TV!Dean before finding her brother's campsite and TV!Sam figured out that it was an Wendigo. "Ah the hard part, getting people to understand that their lives are in danger. Despite the insurmountable evidence, they never believe you," Mary recalled. "Oh look, I was right about the pain in the ass." The group in the show had settled into camp and the brothers were having their talk.

Dean snorted lightly, "Screwed to hell, get it Sammy?"

"You did not just…" Sam laughed against his will.

"One must always have a good sense of humour about eternal damnation," Cas deadpanned and that was saying something coming from him.

In the show, the wendigo was circling the camp and Roy admitted that 'it was no grizzly'. "No shit Sherlock," Dean remarked. Roy was killed in a fraction of a second and everyone winced. TV!Sam and TV!Dean teamed with Hayley and Tommy to take down the Wendigo and begin tracking it only to realise it had lured them in and snatched Hayley and TV!Dean.

"The trick with a Wendigo is to keep moving," Mary told her sons. "It naturally moves extremely fast, often overshooting where it needs to go. That's why it darts around so much. Obviously it's adapted its hunting skills to work for it but often the prey needs to be stationary to get caught. As long as you keep moving the Wendigo will constantly have to recalculate where it needs to go."

"So why didn't it get us while we were standing in the clearing earlier?"

"My guess is too many people," Mary reasoned. "It does have to stop to take its prey and that leaves it vulnerable to injury if not death."

"You seem quite calm for someone who just saw their sons abducted by a creature," Cas observed.

"They're sitting right here Castiel," Mary affectionately tousled Sam and Dean's heads. "Everything we're seeing here was in the past and though I don't like it, at least I know they're alive and well."

"Thanks to my ingenious use of resources," Dean beamed.

"Dude you dropped some candy, it's not like you survived the Oregon Trail," Sam said derisively. _Good one._ That voice was back and Sam nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked around the room but no one else was there.

"You alright man?" Dean asked.

"Yeah fine," Sam settled back into his seat. Pointedly ignoring everyone's concerned eyes, he watched his television self and TV!Dean about to square off with the monster. The fight in the mineshaft and TV!Dean was there just in the nick of time, to put the creature down and save them.

"Against my better judgement, I have to say you boys are good hunters," Mary said. "A little rough around the edges but this is the beginning after all."

"One of the few times everything ended well," Sam said softly only to become sour as TV!Dean flirted with Hayley. "She's right, must you cheapen the moment?"

"Yeah." Dean gave him an 'obviously' look. They watched the ending and Dean nodded, "Drive off like a couple of bad asses, I'm actually digging this show. The music is good. Who's up for the next one?"

 **A/N: I AM! I AM! I hope you all are too. The next episode is one of my absolute favourites. Until next time, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	4. Episode 3 - Dead in the Water

Catching Up  
Chapter 3 – Dead in the Water

The humans in the room took a moment to stretch their limbs after sitting so much. "What do we got next Cas?" Dean enquired.

The angel, who hadn't bothered to move, summoned the DVD case to him. "Episode three entitled 'Dead in the Water'. The description says, 'In a small town in Wisconsin, Sam and Dean investigate a series of mysterious drownings officially explained as suicides'."

"I remember that. One of the more confusing ones," Sam recalled. "'Dead in the Water' is actually a very apt title now that I think about it."

"You ain't kidding," Dean added.

"So let's get this episode going," Mary sat back down, her sons following a moment after, and started the show. It once again opened with a recap now to include the last episode as well.

"I wish we had a theme song," Dean griped. "Something kickass instead of that weird sound. It's like an old projector with a snake caught inside."

"Oh well," Sam shrugged. "Queue the cheesy horror flick opening…and Dean flirting with some chick."

"And Sam being a miserable son of a -"

"Seriously Dean?" Sam gestured to Mary.

"Right, sorry," Dean huffed. "Miserable jerk."

"Bitch in heat."

"MOM!" Dean wailed.

"Sam apologize your brother," Mary admonished.

"Sorry Dean," Sam chanted. _How sweet, this is really quite touching._ This time Sam tensed and jerked a little but otherwise showed no other sign that the voice had spoken. His jaw tightened with the effort not to look around or respond. Unfortunately he had still zoned out for a moment and missed what Dean had been saying. "What?"

"You see this is why I'm Ford and you're Hamill," Dean stated, referring to his counterpart's codenames for this case. "I said we could do one more episode then start thinking about dinner."

"I don't mind cooking. It's been forever since I've made a meal for my boys." Mary smiled.

"Sure, sure," Sam bobbed his head still little on edge from the voice.

In the show, the Winchesters were at the police station talking to sheriff. "Dean I am by no means an expert at lying but I think you may have given yourself away to this official," Cas noted.

"Probably but we worked around it," Dean shrugged it off. Onscreen, Andrea and Lucas appeared for the first time and Dean sighed. "Poor Lucas, at least things got better. I wonder whatever happened to him after we left."

"Hopefully nothing." Sam laughed as Andrea shot TV!Dean down after showing them to the hotel, "Andrea was awesome."

"But I did love kids," Dean protested. "Still do. I just didn't know that many."

"Still don't," Sam chuckled. "I mean I guess Ben-" Sam stopped and squeezed his eyes shut. "Ah man I'm sorry."

"It is what it is," Dean said stoically. He knew that Lisa and Ben would come up eventually. One of the first things he did was check to see which season they were in. He did not want to relive that but – "Can't be helped. The threat still stands though," He pinned his brother was a hard look.

Sam nodded his understanding, "I'd say we should check up on them, Andrea and Lucas I mean, but…you know…with the leviathan and all."

"Why not? What are leviathan?" Mary asked.

"Oh we'll get to them," Dean promised.

Mary mused on that as she watched TV!Dean reach out to Lucas. She wondered who this Ben was and what these leviathan were. She thought about what Dean would be like as a father and how hunting got in the way of that, his future, his happiness. Watching him connect with that poor child who lost his father in front of his eyes brought a sharp pain to her heart. Dean loved to draw when he was young and play with army men. She could look at him and see her precious little boy but that child was gone and a man, a hunter had taken his place. She forced herself not dwell on it, hunting had been the bane of her existence but it was about the only common ground she had with her sons. It wasn't much or ideal but it was a start. "I've never seen anything behave like this," Mary analyzed the water attack onscreen, where Will Carlton was being drowned in the sink. "It has to be a spirit but there are easier ways of killing, it's so oddly specific."

"And it formed a kind of psychic connection with the kid," Sam elaborated. "It was something neither of us had ever seen before, in fact I don't think we had another one anything like it."

"Nope," Dean confirmed.

They got to the part with TV!Dean talking about his mom and Mary held Dean's hand, "You are brave and I'm so very proud of you, the both of you."

"Thanks mom," they said softly

TV!Dean and TV!Sam uncovered the disappearance of Peter Sweeney and they watched Bill Carlton take his own life before the sheriff kicked the boys out of town. TV!Dean refused to go and luckily so because Andrea was being attacked in her bathtub. TV!Dean kicked down the door and TV!Sam pulled her out of the tub. _Look at you two, playing the hero._ Sam growled under his breath, "Don't you have anything better to do?" There was no answer and that only aggravated Sam more. He returned his attention to the show just in time to see television him and his brother digging up Peter's bike.

"So the sheriff was complicit in this the entire time," Cas understood.

"Dun, dun, DUNNNN," Dean sang.

"'You can't bury the truth Jake?'" Sam repeated. "Jesus do you have to sound like 80's cop?"

"I love how you accuse the sheriff of murder and just casually throw in that there is a vengeful spirit," Mary grinned.

"Sam broke it down for him." Dean waved it off. "Crazy how the dude holding us at gunpoint considers us to be the insane ones."

"Nothing says sanity like childhood homicide," Sam remarked. "And he's asking Andrea to be rational."

"This spirits appears to be exercising a considerable telepathic bond with this child," Cas stated. "As opposed to sending the water to claim Lucas, it's bringing Lucas to the water. It's more than precognition, it's communicating with him."

"It probably bonded to Lucas during the night it killed his father." Mary guessed. "This is a child's spirit after all, bullied and angry but still a kid. You could say in as twisted way, it wanted a friend."

"Andrea said that it told her to come play with him," Sam reminded her. "The message might have been for Lucas instead. Peter was about to kill his mother so he was calling to Lucas next."

"Okay now you're giving me the creeps," Dean shuddered. At that moment, the image of Peter's head on the water's surface came on and Dean winced, "That helps."

"You weren't thinking about it before literally diving head first into ghost-infested water," Mary asserted.

"Glad I never saw that," Sam pointed to the dead child's corpse in the water about to drag down Jake. "Dude they gave you a 'Free Willy' moment," Sam hooted.

"It was not. It was cool and heroic," Dean defended his moment.

"I'm just glad Andrea and Lucas were able to get some peace," Sam smiled at the happy mother and son.

"And of course, you'd teach him 'Zeppelin rules'." Cas tacked on.

Andrea kissed Dean and he became rather flustered, "AWWWW Dean I think you blushed." Sam teased his brother.

"Shut your ass, I did not," Dean hit him upside the head.

Mary watched the interaction in real life and onscreen with a bittersweet smile. Sam and Dean had grown to be good men. She still thought they could have had so much more out of life instead of being here, reliving old hunts with their recently-resurrected mother. At least they had each other – and Cas apparently – she could take solace in that. TV!Sam and TV! Dean were driving off for their next adventure and her boys were safe and happy. Just for the moment, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy this time with her family.

 **A/N: Hey guys, this is one of my absolute favourite episodes, I really hope I did this justice. So now that the first batch is up, tell what you think of the style. I try to write them in like a kind of companion scene to the show so you could watch an episode and follow along with the story. For now I like this way but if it isn't working let me know and I'll change it up. ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	5. Episode 4 - Phantom Traveler

Catching Up  
Chapter 4 – Phantom Traveler

"On United Britannia flight 2485, a man possessed by the spirit of the Phantom Traveler causes the plane to crash, leaving only seven survivors," Sam read off with a wicked grin. "I bet Dean remembers this case really well."

"In your dreams," Dean grumbled.

"More like in _your_ nightmares," Sam countered.

"Oh sweetheart, you're not still nervous about heights are you?" Mary asked with a motherly tone. "My poor baby. I still can see your face when we took on that big Ferris wheel at the fairground."

"Aw poor baby," Sam cooed.

"It doesn't surprise me that you have not yet progressed past your infantile ways," said Cas.

"Let's just start this damn episode!" Dean barked, furiously jabbing the play button. As if Dean's mood wasn't bad enough, the recap started once more at the top of show. "Seriously? Do we have to go through this with every episode?"

"Remember in that universe, it's just a show and it is the first season after all," Sam said reasonably. "They need to hook people."

"Hope it stops soon," Dean wished. The show started with a traveller obviously nervous. "See that guy is afraid, I was more hesitant."

"But you see what I meant about being open to possession," Sam pointed to the black haze. "I wonder if that was one of Crowley's…"

"Who's Crowley?" Mary asked.

"King of Hell and Dean's BFF," Sam snorted.

"Okay he is not my BFF, we're on decent speaking terms," Dean corrected.

"You're on decent speaking terms with the devil?" Mary went wide-eyed.

"No, no, no, Lucifer is the devil but during this time, he's trapped in a cage inside Hell. Crowley just runs the place, less of a demonic overlord – though he does have his moments – more like a politician/businessman." Sam clarified but if anything Mary was even more perplexed. In the show, the plane went down and the scene cut to someone in bed.

"That has to be Dean," Mary laughed lightly. "I'd recognize that sprawl anywhere. And hunters' sleeping hours haven't changed at all."

"Can't get over how young we were," Sam said watching TV!Sam and TV!Dean banter back and forth. "It feels like I'm watching another lifetime. Imagine us before apocalypses?"

"Yeah we lost that pretty quickly didn't we? Sometimes I wonder if we ever really had it," Dean exhaled.

"If that knife is any indication…" Cas brought their attention to TV!Sam pulling a huge blade from under Dean's pillow. The warm feeling Mary had had just moments before dissipated, she couldn't help it, it wasn't Sam or Dean's fault but that didn't mean she couldn't berate herself. "Did you often get repeat customers so to speak?" Cas inquired.

"Not really," Dean shook his head. "The supernatural often attract more supernatural so if it was something we figured might come back or entice others, we gave the people our number. Most of the time we never heard from them again which is good in my books."

TV!Sam and TV!Dean met with Jerry and listened to the recording. They heard the plane's pilots try to radio for help before there was a vicious roar and everything went silent. "That is one nasty spirit," Mary commented awed.

"Sadly it's not very high up on the list anymore," Sam informed her. The show once again shifted to outside the copy store, "He freezes my laptop regularly but has no problem counterfeiting DHS IDs."

"You know it's been a while since I've actually tried," Dean mused. "Maybe I ought to give it a go, see how it works."

"No survivors, well that's cheerful," Mary grimaced.

The show moved to when TV!Winchesters were interviewing the survivor at the mental institution. "Its times like these that I find humans fascinating creatures," Cas tilted his head. "Here we have a man who is so ready to run away from the truth that he convinced himself that he has a mental disorder and put himself away."

"Lies are comforting Castiel," Mary explained. "A lie can be anything, there is only one truth and often times it's something we'd rather not acknowledge." Later, Mary quirked an eyebrow at the wife, "What kind of life do you have to have in order for acid reflux to be consider strange?"

"What kind of life do you have to have in order to consider impersonating a member of Homeland Security normal?" Sam shrugged.

"This is a wicked song," Dean bobbed his head to the music as their counterparts got suited up. "Might have made the whole monkey suit thing fun. Hey my old EMF! Sam never did appreciate my genius."

"I refer you to the comment about freezing my laptop," Sam made a face.

"Dumbass cops," Mary rolled her eyes. "Someone broke into a high-security warehouse? Let's make as much noise as possible and hope they don't run away."

Sam looked between Mary and Dean, "So much is being explained right now."

"Those poor men," Cas watched sadly as the demon possessed the pilot at same time, TV!Sam and TV!Dean discovered the presence of sulphur and conclude their creature is a demon. They watched the demon take down the pilot and his friend. Then TV!Sam and TV!Dean were discussing different demons and what to do about it.

"HA! 'Demons aren't our normal gig'! That's how you know this was a long time ago," Sam snickered.

"Why didn't you call Bobby Singer?" Cas looked at the brothers.

"Don't know, we didn't really talk to Bobby during that first year," Dean frowned.

"Dude you were really bad at lying," Sam scoffed. "Your sister is in the hospital?"

"I didn't hear you coming up with anything smart ass," Dean snarked.

 _However do you put up with him?_ Sam put real physical effort into not upending everything and demanding the voice show itself. He pointedly ignored it, focusing on what was happening with the brothers on the plane. One painfully awkward conversation stewardess later and dealing with TV!Dean's anxiety and Sam managed to calm back down. "And the award for subtly goes to Dean!"

"At least Amanda isn't giving you guys trouble about it," Mary carefully watched her boys in action. They took the co-pilot down and managed to expel the demon from him but not before taunting TV!Sam about Jessica. "Son of a bitch."

"Language mom," Dean said with a smirk.

TV!Sam finished the exorcism and the plane, which had been about to crash, leveled out. "That's was too close," Mary sighed in relief.

"Way too close," Dean agreed. "But Sammy has gotten pretty good at memorising Latin, doesn't need a scrap of paper."

"Did you have to sound like a soccer mom when you said that?" Sam ribbed.

"Oh well, time for grub." Dean leapt up. "Mom can we have that stew you used to make? The one with the special rice?"

"AKA the one Dean has yet to shut up about for the last few decades," Sam added.

"Of course," Mary stood. "Castiel you'll be joining us right?"

"I -" Cas opened his mouth but Dean pointed a warning finger at him. "Yes."

"Great." Mary clapped her hands together. "Dinner it is."


	6. Family Dinner

Catching Up  
Chapter 5 – Family Dinner

Dinner was a light-hearted affair. Dean was helping Mary cook and Cas volunteered to help with preparation. Mrs. Winchester took it as a personal challenge to find foods that Cas could eat comfortably so she was currently quizzing the angel about his dietary habits. "What if you purposely dulled the senses in your mouth or used your human taste buds?"

"I suppose I could try to retract my grace from that portion of my body," Cas allowed.

"Be careful mom, I've seen him put away hundreds of burgers," Dean warned.

"I was under famine's influence," Cas protested. "Obviously I would practice moderation. Still Mrs. Winchester, I maintain that eating is unnecessary for me. Even though this form could be considered both my body and vessel, the function doesn't change."

"Vessel or body, they require care," Mary emphasized. "If anything, it's absolutely important to look after yourself now so you can do it, with or without grace. Understand Castiel?"

"Yes Mrs. Winchester," Cas nodded.

Sam watched the scene off to the side with a small smile on his face. Part him was thrilled to have his mother back but another was waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was still really amazing to have her with them, looking after them. That was something he hadn't had since Dean and Dean hadn't had since the night of the fire. For a bit at least, they could be a family again. "Hey Sammy!" Dean broke his reverie. "Can you check if we have any more oil? We're running a bit low here."

"Yeah just a sec," Sam went into the pantry and straight to the shelf where he normally kept the cooking oil. "Sorry man I don't think -" Sam turned and stopped dead at the bottle of oil sitting in front of him on another shelf. Now he knew they might own that bottle but he was certain that it wasn't kept there and Dean knew how anal he was about keeping the pantry organized. He picked it up suspiciously and looked around, "You know I can't find the T-bone steaks…" _Smart ass._ The voice floated through the air and Sam tried very hard not to smile. He gave Dean the oil and went out to the hall, out of earshot from the others. "Are you there?" There wasn't a response and Sam groaned, "Come on seriously, you speak when I need oil but not when I need to actually talk to you?"

 _Can I help you Samuel?_

Sam relaxed just a bit, "What's happening? Are they coming?"

 _You think I'd be screwing around with cooking oil if that were the case?_

Sam smirked, "You must be desperate if you'd use oil."

 _No one likes a smart ass Sam._

"Well I know you like this one," Sam shot back

 _Something like that. Dean's coming._

"Wait what?" Sam hissed.

Dean poked his head out from the kitchen, "Who are you talking to?"

"No one apparently," Sam said with sugary irony. _Keep taking shots, I will get you back._

Dean regarded him weirdly, "Okay then. Get your lazy ass in here and set the table. Dinner is almost ready."

"Right coming," Sam gestured for Dean to go ahead and once he was gone, he warned into the air. "We are going to talk." _Yeah, yeah, yeah._ Sam sighed long-sufferingly and went back in, pondering how the hell his life ended up in situations like this, talking to disembodied voices. With that in mind, he sat down to dinner with his formerly demonic brother, his resurrected mother, and honorary angel-brother.


	7. Episode 5 - Bloody Mary

Catching Up  
Chapter 5 – Bloody Mary

Dinner was a fantastic even Cas managed to enjoy it towards the end as he practiced eating with his human senses. "Keep it up," Mary encouraged as they cleared the table. "I want you with us at every meal, that's how family works."

"Yes Mrs. Winchester," Castiel nodded obediently.

Mary gave him a soft smile, "Please Cas, call me Mary or even mom if you like, I don't mind."

Cas smiled back, "Yes Mary."

"Well since Cas is integrating into the Winchester clan, I guess he can do dishes," Dean clapped the angel's back.

"Alright," Cas obliged. With a wave, the dishes in everyone's hands and the ones in the sink were gone.

Sam, lips quivering, opened a cupboard to find all of them put away and sparkling. "Thanks buddy."

"Happy to help," the angel shrugged.

"Thank you Cas." Mary said albeit a bit nonplussed. "Don't get used to it," she added to her sons especially Dean who already looked like he was contemplating all the possibilities.

At his mother's words he deflated a little, "Okay."

"So, next episode?" Sam suggested. They all nodded and returned to the study. Sam picked up the DVD case and read out, "Let's see, 'Bloody Mary'. Several high schoolers dare their friend to look into a mirror and repeat a chant, not knowing that this will unleash a series of mysterious murders."

"Here we go," Dean started the show and it opened with a painfully cliché slumber party. One of the girls was dared to go say 'Bloody Mary' in the bathroom and as the description said, noticeably unleashed the spirit. "Don't kids just say darnedest things?"

"Perhaps we should be paying extra attention to these children's games," Cas commented.

"That poor girl," Mary shook her head at the daughter finding her father. "And Sam, how long did these nightmares haunt you?"

"Too long," Sam replied. "Don't worry I'll get fresh ones soon."

"It's a shame we got too old for that student lie, it was always the easiest," Dean moved on. "No IDs, nothing."

"Except a fat wad of cash for when it didn't work on medical assistants," Sam tossed back.

"Spent all my poker money on that jerk," Dean grumbled. "You're real cash happy when you're cranky you know that?"

"Whatever gets the job done, aside from your stellar acting," Sam countered.

"Hey I was good here," Dean pointed out as they moved on to the scene at the Shoemaker house when the memorial was going on.

"Crashing funerals, that was one thing I didn't miss," Mary grimaced. "My dad would send me because he thought people were more trusting with a girl. Can't say he was wrong but I didn't like it."

"That was very kind of you Dean, alleviating that girl's guilt even if it was to get more information," Cas nodded.

"Thanks Cas," Dean beamed.

 _Oh get a room._ Sam flinched and wished he could strangle thin air. "A little warning might be nice," he whispered under the cover of TV!Sam and TV!Dean's conversation. The voice didn't speak again and Sam went back to watching the show. Charlie had confronted the brothers and they let her in, a little, on what they were really doing.

The TV!Winchesters went to the library only to find that all the computers were shut down. "You think that's annoying try having to hit up all the personal archives for every town and having contacts with major newspapers if you need to the broaden the search. A single basic haunting could take up to a week," Mary told them, Sam and Dean shuddered at the thought.

The show moved to Charlie speaking to her friend. "Hear that Sammy? We're cute," Dean bragged.

"Please we all know who's the better looking one though" Sam joked.

"Why Sam, thank you for being generous. You're not bad yourself," Dean ribbed. "Charlie's friends are ridiculous though. How does one group contain so many connections to death?"

"Birds of a feather? Fate?" Sam guessed.

"She does have a morbid sense of humour and poetic justice," Cas shrugged.

"Fate is real?" Mary asked.

"And she gets really ticked when you mess with her," Dean bobbed his head. "Thankfully it wasn't our fault that time, stupid Balthazar and his hatred of Celine Dion."

"Who? What?" Mary blinked.

"We'll get there mom," Sam patted her knee.

"Once again why is insanity the preferable option?" Cas shook his head in confusion at Charlie's tearful comments. "Wouldn't there be more comfort in being right, in being sure and knowing how to protect oneself?"

"Maybe but dude, once you believe in one, you believe in them all," Dean tried to explain. "It's like 'if this is real then other things have to be real too'. Like remember when I knew about demons but refused to believe in angels, my mind fought against the idea of there being _more_ than what I was used to. In this case, this girl has never encountered anything supernatural in her whole life so now she'll be wondering about ghosts, witches, spells, all of it. It's pretty scary and any reason to believe that it doesn't exist is better."

"That was surprisingly deep for you Dean," Sam made an approving face. Just then TV!Dean made the comment about looking like Paris Hilton on the night-vision camera. "But then again…"

Onscreen the boys discover the missing link between all the victims, expand their search and find out about Mary Worthington. "Geez Dean why can't you help with the research anymore? You used to be so helpful."

"Well you took over and I hate to infringe," Dean smirked.

"Of course you do," Sam scoffed. The episode moved to the confrontation between Donna and Charlie and Donna summoning Bloody Mary in the bathroom. "Don't you just love it when friends set murderous spirits on you?"

"You know I think that's the only thing that hasn't happened to us yet," Dean mused over Charlie's frightened screams as she is stalked by Bloody Mary. "Unless you count Crowley and his goons."

"So you admit Crowley is your friend?"

"I said 'unless', Crowley fails into that acquaintance category," Dean clarified. "Otherwise our record is clean."

"We may not have used spirits but I'm afraid our record for personally attempts is woefully abysmal," Cas sighed.

"We haven't tried to actually kill each other, maim sure, but not kill," Dean denied but both Sam and Cas turned to him with their own personal bitchfaces. "Okay not while we were in our right senses."

"You tried to kill me on sight," Cas reminded him and Dean's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"You boys lead strange lives," Mary rubbed her temple.

 _Boy she does not know the half of it_. Sam took some deep breaths, "What did I say about warning me?" _I thought about it but face it Sam, anything I do to warn you is still going to freak you out._ "Anything new?" _Maybe, I'd prefer to talk to you alone._ They had just gotten to the part with TV!Sam wanting to offer himself as bait to Bloody Mary and Sam made an uncomfortable noise, "I'll be right back, bathroom."

"And miss my outstanding big brother moment? Dude!" Dean protested.

"I'll send your award in the mail," Sam left and ducked into the hallway where the bedrooms were. "So?" _They still haven't figured out how you got away but they've decided that isn't a priority anymore. They're just going to recapture you and figure out the rest later._ "What about Dean?" _Well they know he's alive so it would be safe to assume he's going to be targeted._ "Are we safe in the Bunker?" _Lady Toni 'lost' the key so yes you're safe._ Sam grinned, "Hope you made it good." _Some of my best work I assure you._

"Sam you alright man? You're going to miss the fight," Dean shouted ahead of himself and Sam jerked.

"Keep me updated," Sam made a show of wiping his hands on his shirt just in time for Dean to see. _Aye, aye captain!_ The voice was gone and Sam was relieved but still tense if that made any sense.

"You okay little brother?" Dean asked.

"Fine, I don't like thinking about all of that. The visions, the demon blood, any of it but I'll live, I mean I already survived it," Sam said dismissively.

"Doesn't make it any easier but mom is worried about you," Dean said. "And we have barely scratched the surface on all of this. We might do an episode or two more but after that, we should give it a rest. Give her a day to digest it. Hey maybe we can go on a hunt?" Dean proposed and Sam blanched.

"Uh dude, we might need to give that a rest for a bit too, until we can figure out the situation with the Men of Letters," Sam coughed. "They don't seem like the type to just give up."

"Right, I forgot about those mooks," Dean grimaced. "Fine, we'll stay here but I still think we should take a break."

"We'll talk to mom," Sam promised. "Come on let's go watch us kill an urban legend."

They returned to the TV room and Mary and Cas looked up at their entrance. "What did we miss?" Dean hopped back into his spot.

"Sam summoned Bloody Mary and you've gone to handle the police." Cas reported, "Your lies continue quite atrocious by the way."

"I get it, my cover stories need work, stop ragging."

"You okay baby?" Mary asked Sam softly.

"Fine mom," Sam reassured her.

Bloody Mary began her attack and revealed Sam had dreamt about Jessica's death weeks before it actually happened. "Sam!" Mary gasped.

"I wish I could say it gets better." Sam blew out a breath only to snort at Mary coming out of the mirror, "Are we watching The Ring?"

"Maybe…" Dean shrugged. "Animating the dead can't be easy. The 600 years' worth of bad luck would explain a lot though."

"An interesting paradox to be sure but it doesn't make much sense," Cas frowned. "I thought the spirit latched onto to guilt but Mary must've felt justified in her killings."

"I don't think it was about guilt, it wasn't clear if Shoemaker felt guilt or that Jill girl," Mary thought over. "I think it's more that they were connected with death and had a part in it that they never paid the price for. Accidental, justified, or not."

"The point is it worked," Dean concluded. "What's next?"


	8. Episode 6 - Skin

Catching Up  
Chapter 6 – Skin

Dean reached for the DVD cover, "Mom? Want to do a couple more before getting some sleep?"

"Sure, I don't feel tired at all," Mary tucked her legs under her. "Pass me a blanket though, its getting chilly in here."

"Mom you can take mine, I want to stretch out actually," Sam slid to the floor, taking a pillow with him. He leant back on the couch and Dean joined him a moment later. Cas stayed where he was but he did shift slightly.

"Everyone comfortable?" Dean asked and the room murmured in assent. "So, this episode is called 'Skin'. Sam and Dean help Sam's old college buddy after he is accused of a murder he swears he didn't commit. Lovely."

"One of our messier cases," Sam said to Mary by way of explanation.

"How messy?"

"Try 'put me on an FBI watch list' messy," Dean grimaced at started the show. They made through the customary flashback but the show began with shots of a tactical team swarming a house while a girl is tied to a chair, clearly being tortured. "What the hell is this? Oh wait.."

The suspect turned to face the camera and Mary's eyes widened, "Dean?!"

"Damn skinwalker," Dean shook his head and Mary relaxed. "You didn't think I'd actually do that to someone did you mom?"

"No," Mary denied. "But your grandfather had some…less than savoury techniques when it came to digging for information from creatures."

The 'we know' was on the brothers' tongues but they held it for now with only significant looks exchanged. "I remember that old phone," Sam changed the subject. "I forgot about it."

"Do you still talk to your college friends?" Dean asked.

"Leviathan Dean, leviathan," Sam deadpanned.

"Yeah but if anyone would believe you it's Becky," Dean chuckled. "Sorry _Rebecca_ ¸ although I'm sure Becky would believe you too."

"Shut up dude," Sam threw him a bitchface. "

"And by the way, MY lies are awful? 'Dean's a cop' college boy?"

Cas tilted his head, "I might be tempted to say that was more outrageous than Dean attempting to be of Japanese descent previously."

"At least, since Beck didn't know Dean, it actually made sense and didn't require us to fling money around."

"Only because your friend trusted us," Dean argued. "And for the record, stealing from lawyers, this is my kind of chick -" AHEM! Came a motherly voice from above their heads "- girl." He amended quickly.

"Yeah Dean show some respect," Sam chided smugly.

"Well forgive me if I call this thing a sick bastard," Dean referring to the second attack happening onscreen.

"That's relatively mild considering what I'd call it," Mary swallowed back some bile. The TV!Winchesters entered the sewers and Mary had to ask, "And no one noticed you just climbing into a manhole in broad daylight and getting back out again?"

"We were in the alley," Sam shrugged. In the show, Becca called to yell at Sam for lying to her. "Not like we didn't get caught in other things."

"We? Dude that was all you, I was the one advocating for honestly for a change," Dean challenged.

"For the first and last time in your existence. Thanks for having my back brother," Sam griped.

"Anytime brother," Dean returned. "Damn those sewers were eerie enough with this music."

"Scared Dean?"

"Pffft no. I know what happens – AH! CHRIST!" Dean jumped as the shifter suddenly appeared and the room cracked up. Mary leaned down to kiss the top of his head and Dean rubbed it off childishly, "Laugh it up."

"Why would you split up with a shifter on the loose?" Mary scolded them. "That is the epitome of a bad idea." ShifterDean showed up, "Case in point."

"Yeah not one of our more brilliant moments," Dean admitted. "But hey Sammy was quick on the uptake unfortunately not on the draw."

"I couldn't just shoot it on a hunch, what if I was wrong!?" Sam exclaimed

"Could've shot it in the leg," Dean said with a loaded stare.

"Where do you think I got the idea?" Sam said quietly but he knew Dean heard him.

"Dean you really feel like that?" Cas queried with concern. "All those hateful thoughts."

"I used to," Dean acknowledged. "It was different time back then Cas."

The shifter went after Rebecca leaving TV!Sam and TV!Dean to make their escape. "It's crazy how it could know so much about us and yet not know us at all," Sam wondered. Still he said as the shifter talked about its life, "This is still some good insight into the life of a shifter."

"It's not even magic, it's just regular evolution, weird," Dean made a face. "Makes you rethink your definition of supernatural."

"After everything we've seen, you're only rethinking it now?" Sam asked incredulously.

"I basically just threw it out the window once we started in on world-ending scenarios." Dean rattled off the list as they went back to initial scene of ShifterDean being taken down by the police. "You know, making friends with angels and demons, handling tricksters turned archangels turned pagan gods, deals with the actual devil, the king of Hell, and Death himself and that was only the first apocalypse."

"You left out some parts too," Sam said dismally.

"You know I think this is the only footage of shifter shedding," Mary watched with interest.

"No comment on what I was saying mom?" Dean tilted his head back to look at her.

"Not touching it with a ten-foot pole."

"See if I had listened to you, I never would have found Rebecca," Dean pointed out and Sam held back a derisive remark. "But seriously you didn't think to check her before going in?"

"Seems obvious now, at the time I wasn't thinking," Sam shrugged.

"Sam, Dean, I know it doesn't mean much now but if you ever run into a shifter again, try wearing silver rings," Mary told them. "It irritates their skin."

"Huh," Sam nodded slowly.

"Mom we are so taking you on a hunt," Dean declared.

"Does no one else find it troubling that this shifter seems to really consider itself to be Dean?" Cas watched it's attack on Sam avidly.

"He's sharing all of Dean's memories and emotions, it must be hard to separate them," Sam speculated.

"So weird to shoot myself and see my own dead body," Dean winced.

"You missed the funeral," Sam said mildly.

"Yeah and that's the part I wanted to see," Dean bemoaned.

"All's well that ends well," Cas pronounced. "Shall I queue the next one?"

"Knock yourself out Cas," Dean tossed him the remote and case. Cas caught them questioningly, Dean sighed, "It's an expression, it means go ahead."

 **A/N: Hey guys, hope you're enjoying the story so far. I have a lot planned as we go through the series so don't worry the plot will deepen with time. Until next time, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	9. Episode 7 - Hook Man

Catching Up  
Chapter 7 – Hook Man

Cas didn't seem like he really understood but at least he didn't attempt to bludgeon himself unconscious. He found the description in the case with remote poised to press play. "Episode entitled 'Hook Man'. In a small town in Iowa, Sam and Dean encounter the infamous 'Hook Man', a spirit who kills his victims with a shiny hook that serves as his hand."

"This is a good one to leave off on," Dean critiqued. "I'm starting to need sleep."

"Me too now that you mention it," Sam yawned.

"Let us begin," Cas started the show. The episode with two girls, one getting ready to go out and the other convincing her to wear a revealing top.

"Gotta love sorority girls," Dean said and immediately regretted it as the back of his head was whacked. "In the most respectful manner of course. Like look at this," Dean nodded to the guy who kept trying to get under Laurie's top. "Dude when the lady says no, back off."

The Hook Man attacked and the guy, Rich, is strung up, left hanging above his car for Lori to find. "That is horrible," said Cas. "A spirit can do that?"

Dean answered, "Spirits can do a lot of things, mainly it all depends on the strength of it and the nature of its death. Nasty piece of work this one."

"You were still searching for your father?" Mary frowned. "What was he doing that he just disappeared like that?"

"You know we never found out the specifics. It all fell under 'tracking the yellow-eyed demon', dad never said much beyond that." Dean shrugged it off but that only made Mary more concerned about the man her husband had become.

Back on the show, the TV!Winchesters got into the fraternity to find out more about the victim. "Hey look we found the identity of the purple guy," Sam joked but no one got it. "It's a game reference."

"Nerd," Dean snorted.

"I owe you another punch for making that me paint that dude," Sam growled.

The show moved to TV!Sam and TV!Dean at the church service and talking to Lori. "Please don't tell me you desecrate church in some way," Cas made a face.

"Hey pot how are you?" Dean quipped.

"If you're referring to the pot and kettle metaphor, I didn't desecrate it as much as I tried to clean it up," Cas defended. "Whatever desecration occurred was purely accidental and I should think I have paid my penance for it."

"How very Winchester of you," Sam approved.

"So the Hook Man legend was real," Mary half-laughed as the TV!Winchesters did their research. "What's next the Tooth Fairy?" Sam snorted and Dean glared full-blown swords at him. The episode shifted once more to Lori's sorority and her argument with her father.

Cas' did his signature head tilt, "So the reverend isn't worried about the murder his daughter witnessed as much as he is about her drinking and partying?"

"Parental priorities at their finest," Dean said dryly.

"Well technically I should be worried about what you two are doing with guns in the middle of woods at night but I'm honestly more concerned about the girl asleep in her bed," Mary asserted. "And oh look, you're getting arrested, still not worried."

"Mom we're far from normal, the usual rules do NOT apply. Plus, you're right to be more fixated on Lori considering this thing haunting her," Sam gestured to the screen just as Lorie was seen waking up in her bed to find her roommate's dead body and the writing on the wall.

"And you were also right not to worry about us," Dean said smugly as the television brothers walked free from the police station. "Only in a college town could you get away with a hazing prank story. It's awesome."

"If only all your falsehoods carried such brilliance and presence of mind," said Cas.

TV!Sam and TV!Dean were now sneaking around the sorority house. "Dean Winchester for your sake I'm going to pretend I didn't just hear the words 'naked pillow fight'," Mary's voice was rather clipped.

"Can we skip ahead to the virgin case?" Sam lunged for the DVDs but Dean tackled him.

"Don't you dare," he growled warningly.

"Boys…" Mary called and they separated begrudgingly. They stopped arguing in time to see TV!Sam and TV!Dean sneak into the house. "The cop didn't hear any of that? Law enforcement sometimes," Mary rolled her eyes.

"The lore in this case is extremely fascinating," Cas remarked as the show moved on to discuss possible ties between Hook Man and Lorie or her father. "Who is the true conduit here? The person or the poltergeist?"

"It's more symbiotic Cas," Mary explained.

TV!Dean was in the graveyard while TV!Sam staked out Lorie's house. "So not fair," Dean pouted. "I lost out on the party and the cute girl."

"Did you really want to be in my place Dean?" Sam raised an eyebrow. "You know what happens next."

"Well not for that but before, hell yeah," Dean nodded. "Now excuse me while I go throw up." He added referring to Lorie and TV!Sam's conversation.

"Sure being a decent person makes you puke but corpses are nothing to you," Sam said over TV!Dean's salt and burn.

"Well someone doesn't waste time," Dean smirked when Lorie and TV!Sam kissed. "Lucky you're such a decent person or the Hook Man might have come after you."

"Came after the preacher instead," Sam said dubiously. "I wonder who Carnes would have taken more issue with if he had known us properly…"

"What is wrong with these law officials?" Cas questioned when the scene moved to the hospital. "How could they possibly blame Sam?"

"Lorie's dad couldn't speak and Lorie herself was a suspect, none of us were particularly reliable." Sam reasoned.

"But you weren't even around for the first attack," Mary pointed out. "Are these bums so clueless that they forgot about the first victim? Not to mention you were never implicated in the death of the roommate. God, it's like they just want the most convenient excuse so as not to do their jobs."

"Mom relax, we're about to give them legitimate reason not to want us around in second," Dean declared. The TV!Winchesters did some more research, uncovering the fate of the infamous hook, and headed to the church to destroy it. "Oh and Cas? Fair warning buddy, church desecration ahead."

"It has already been tainted sadly," Cas mourned. "I believe it would be in everyone's best interest if the spirit was exterminated."

"Are there avenging angels?" Mary asked Cas during Lorie's monologue.

"Once yes, they were ranked as high as archangels but they died," Cas shifted uncomfortably. "Or so is believed."

"She set the ghost on herself," Dean rubbed his temples. "And you just sat there."

"What did you want me to do?" Sam exclaimed.

"I don't know, kiss her again? Anything!"

 _I'd hate to mock your show and all, but why is it that everything the Hook Man breaks, is miraculously whole again in the next shot?_ Sam stared around bemusedly, "Have you been watching this entire time?"

"What'd you say?" Dean looked at him.

"Uh go back for a second to when Hook Man first appeared," Sam requested and Dean took the remote from Cas to rewind. "Watch the doors, magical repair."

"Dude that's hilarious," Dean sniggered. "If only it was like that in real life, thankfully the takedown is always satisfying." He sobered up at the end when TV!Sam and Lorie said goodbye. "Ever regret not staying?"

"No," Sam said calmly. The credits rolled and Mary plucked the remote from Dean to shut the television off.

"I can hear the quiet yawning," she smiled. "Time for bed."


	10. Night at the Bunker

Catching Up  
Chapter 8 – Night at the Bunker

"I got some extra blankets for you mom," Sam announced as he entered her room. Dean was helping to make the bed and Cas had obliged with some flowers to brighten up the space.

"Thank you boys," Mary beamed with maternal pride. "This is lovely. Do you stay here as well Castiel?"

"Not generally no since I don't sleep," Cas told her.

"You still have your room here Cas," Dean said. "No one's touched it, you can hang out if you want."

"Thank you Dean but I am concerned the Men of Letters may return since they appear to have access to the Bunker. I should stand guard while you all rest."

"Well actually," Sam said before he could stop himself and he faltered. All eyes were now on him and he dared not say what really was going on, not yet anyway. Suddenly his pocket felt very warm and he reached in. He smirked as he felt heated metal and knew almost immediately what it was. He was right too as he produced a key similar to the one they used. He waved it a little in front of his family's awed faces, "I might have picked Lady's Toni's pocket."

"Atta boy Sammy," Dean gripped his shoulder.

"When did you do that?" Mary patted him.

"I was...um…fading in and out but when she took me out of here, she locked up the place and slipped the key into her pocket. I took it."

"That is excellent Sam but that might not stop them from coming here," Cas said. "I still I think I should stay in the front just to be cautious."

"Well get some rest if you need it," Mary held his cheek and he nodded before leaving.

"I should get to bed too." Sam kissed Mary's cheek, "Goodnight Mom."

"Goodnight Sammy." Sam left and Mary turned to Dean. "You should sleep too."

"I will," Dean looked down and swallowed. "I missed you mom."

"I'll be here when you wake up and every morning after that for as long as possible." Mary promised and Dean looked torn.

"How long is that? When will we lose you again?" Dean said hoarsely.

"I can't say never but I can say that I will do everything in my power to make sure it's a long time from now. As your mother, I can't – won't – risk losing you boys, not again." Mary bit her lip, "Dean, where's John? I have a feeling I know but…"

"He's gone mom." Dean cleared his throat, "You'll see it in the show. He did it to save me, it was my fault."

"That's no fault of yours Dean, that is a parent's love," Mary insisted. "I just wish I could remember if I saw him on the other side. All I remember is the demon attacking me then everything goes black until I woke up in the woods."

"I don't know what Amara did to resurrect you or how it worked to help," Dean raised his hands helplessly.

"It's fine really, my last of memory of John is him being a great father and a good husband and now I know the last thing he did on this Earth was be that great father again. Let's hope that makes the middle bearable because I am definitely not thrilled with him." That broke the tension and the two laughed.

"Didn't think you would be," Dean bobbed his head. "We had our moments."

"I guess that's something," Mary allowed. "Now bed young man, how does pancakes in the morning sound?"

"Awesome," Dean hugged his mother tight. "I love you mom."

"I love you too sweetheart," Mary pulled away and tilted her head to the door. "See you in the morning."

"Night mom."

"Goodnight Dean."

*CU*

When Sam got back to his room, he tossed the spare Bunker key onto the desk. "Thanks." _I can't believe I let you take the credit for it._ "Come take it back then," Sam challenged. _In due time Sammy. Truth be told, I was going to give you the key anyway, get it away from here._ "Trouble still coming for us?" _What do you think Winchester?_ Sam snorted, "Right. A little privacy?" _Go ahead princess._ Shaking his head, he shrugged off his plaid shirt and switched to sweat pants before laying in bed. "Okay I'm decent." _Yes, heaven forbid you lose your modesty while speaking to a voice in your head._ "Don't pretend you don't adore me," Sam winked at the ceiling and the voice groaned. _Drop it Sam, I mean it._ "Anybody got a peanut?" _Oh har, har. You have none of Andre's charm._ "And you have all of Wally Shore's." _Oh you son of a sasquatch and a giraffe, I'll get you for that!_ Sam laughed outright, "You know where to find me." _I do and I will have my revenge._ "Now that is purely inconceivable," Sam snickered. _Go to sleep Sam, you're tired._ "Night," Sam called as he turned over. Okay so talking to disembodied voices wasn't precisely healthy or normal but Sam knew it could be worse, it all depended on the voice.

*CU*

Mary flopped in bed for the fourth time. It had been a couple of hours and the Bunker was silent. Perhaps being dead for so many years had something to do with it but she just wasn't that tired. Maybe it was all the information she'd learnt but none of it was particularly troubling...yet. Her heart ached for John but it was a dull throb, the kind that comes with having known something subconsciously for a while even if it was only confirmed recently. Perhaps that meant they had seen each other in the afterlife. She simply didn't know and couldn't sleep. Getting up, she padded quietly to Dean's room and looked in on him. He was sprawled just like he used to as a child and she couldn't help tiptoeing in. Moving that dangling arm onto the bed and fixing the covers. Looking around, she noted the weapons but also spotted her photo on his desk. Warmed, she blew her eldest son a kiss before leaving. Next she checked on Sammy who was on his stomach with a slight smile on his face. She sat down on the edge of his bed and watched him awhile. It was hard to link this fully grown man with the baby she knew but here he was. She let herself stroke his hair a bit and adjust the blanket. She got up and went into hall. She whispered, "Sleep well boys, angels are watching over you _._ "Well one was, she amended to herself and she found him at the table with a pot of tea and a book in hand. "Hello Castiel."

"Mary," Cas looked up. "Are you alright?"

"Fine. May I join you?"

"Of course," Cas invited and she sat down. "Would you like a cup of tea? I brewed it myself with some lovely honey I found at a farmer's market."

"Sure." Cas summoned another mug, filled it with his special tea, and gave it to her. "Thank you," Mary sipped some. "This is delicious. So you drink tea?"

"Yes, I told you earlier I'm able to handle with fluids. This is one of the few things I can have comfortably, that's why I got the honey. It's a preference of mine. I am sure however you're not here to discuss tea."

"I just couldn't sleep," Mary shook her head. "So much has changed. Where do I even begin to fit in? The boys are all grown up, John is gone, and the one thing I wanted my sons not to become, they have."

"I understand your apprehension about them hunting but your sons are much more than hunters," Cas told her. "I have been fighting alongside Sam and Dean for nigh on a decade and yes I've seen them kill monsters and save people. But I've also seen their compassion for the benign supernatural because they have good hearts and respect life more than any other. Sam has so much strength within him that he could overpower the strongest of my kind to overturn destiny and Dean, he was known as the Righteous Man in heaven and he still is in my eyes."

Mary regarded the angel fondly, "You really care about them."

"They are my truest friends, brothers even." Cas replied.

"They're all I have left in this world Cas," Mary propped her chin on her hand. "Where do we go from here? How does a person just start living again after literally just starting to live again?"

"Resurrection can be jarring," Cas sighed. "As I recall, Christ didn't have an easy time with it either."

Mary almost spilt her tea, "How old are you Castiel?"

"I was a fledging when Lucifer fell, a billion or so years," Cas shrugged. "Doesn't matter. While these last years haven't been the most pleasurable, they have been the most meaningful. I began to think for myself and I made a lot of mistakes in the process but I was free. I didn't know what to do with myself at first but it fell into place as time when on. I just had to keep moving forward. Perhaps the same could be said for you…"

"I hope so," Mary held up her mug, "A toast to the times ahead."

Cas clinked mugs with her, "To the times ahead."

 **A/N: Hey guys, if you can hear me from under this mountain of fluff I just buried you in clap three times… Great. There's a spoon somewhere in there, it should help with the digging. Once you get out, drop a review about the experience and let me know what you thought. Until next time, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	11. Episode 8 - Bugs

Catching Up  
Chapter 9 – Bugs

 **A/N: Hey guys, I just wanted to take the opportunity to address a couple of comments I saw about the format and how much of the shows I put in. If you notice, I do my best to link all of their comments about the show to what they would be watching and pace the conversation accordingly. I realize it can be a bit vague at times so I will try harder to ground it in the show. That being said, I'll be sticking to my current style because I think it's the best one for what I envision with this series. Hopefully that's okay with you guys, now on with the story!**

The next morning, Sam and Dean awoke to the most delicious smells in the air. They came out to hall, exchanging confused looks as the scent intensified. Knowing full well that Castiel could not cook a piece of bread to save his Grace, there was only one person who could pull this off. Sure enough, Mary was in the kitchen, Castiel at her side, creating a veritable mountain of pancakes. "Morning mom," Sam greeted.

"Morning boys," Mary threw them a smile from the stove. "Castiel and I are almost done, have a seat."

"Did you get any sleep last night mom?" Dean asked.

"Some. I had tea with Cas, got a couple hours then woke up around 7 and decided to make breakfast," Mary turned from the cooker and brought the stacks of pancakes to the table. Castiel added a platter of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and separate plate of toast. "Oh I almost forgot the fruit," Mary remembered. "Cas told me Sam is the most likely one to eat that but I want to see some on your plate as well Dean."

"Yes mom," Dean eyed the bowl of cut-up fruits disdainfully.

"You didn't have to go to all this trouble mom," Sam said.

"Nonsense, I don't mind." Mary batted a hand. "Castiel you sit and eat too."

"Yes Mary," the angel sat down and began filling his plate.

Mary bustled away to get the juice and water and Dean leaned forward, "So…what? Are you and mom BFFs now?"

"Something to that effect," Cas shrugged. "Do not worry our bond will not be compromised unless you'd prefer to keep my company to yourself."

Dean spluttered, "I – I didn't mean –"

Sam nearly choked on his eggs, "I said it before, I'll say it again, I love you Cas."

"I am still very fond of you as well Sam," Cas returned just as Mary came back and took her seat.

"So what's the plan for today? More episodes?" she asked.

"Probably, I don't want us going out too soon with the Men of Letters hanging around," Sam's eyes involuntarily flicked up to the ceiling.

"Yeah but I was thinking we should take mom shopping to get some clothes, she can't keep wearing our stuff," Dean gestured to Mary's current outfit, standard Winchester plaid and jeans.

"Okay later on we'll see," Sam acquiesced. They finished up their meal and congregated in the study once more. "So what do we have next…" Sam started the TV and DVD player and scanned the case. "Did Skin…Did Hook Man…so the next episode is Bugs."

"Oh fantastic," Dean grimaced. "Chuck still owes us big time for that."

"I'm sure my Father was not ill-intentioned," Cas said and Mary jumped.

"Your Father? But you're an angel unless…you don't mean…" Mary looked at all of them.

"Yeah God, THE GOD but he prefers Chuck," Dean confirmed. "You'd think being on first name terms with the Creator would make things easier for us but nope. Mom you were brought back by his sister."

"You called Amara 'the Darkness'," Mary settled back into her seat. "You never mentioned she was the sister of God or that you knew the Lord personally."

"Well there's name-dropping and then there's name-dropping," Sam loaded the next episode and backed up to sit on the couch with the remote in one hand and DVD case in another. "Description says, Sam and Dean investigate a town's history and find that a new housing development is being built on sacred Native American land. Here we go."

The show opened on a construction site and a worker falling into a sinkhole where he is attacked by a swarm of beetles. Despite his friend's best efforts, he dies from the bug attack and Mary cringed, "That is no way to go."

"Tell me about it," Dean agreed.

The episode moved to Sam sitting on the Impala outside a bar, "Well it doesn't get more typical than that," Sam chuckled. "Me waiting outside while you or Dad went in to hustle at pool or something."

"Please tell me you're joking," Mary asked with no hope.

"Afraid not," Dean shook his head.

At that moment, TV!Sam appeared to join the conversation with the line, "How we were raised was jacked."

"Couldn't agree more with myself," Sam ribbed as TV!Sam ran down the case. "Still watch Oprah Dean?"

Dean scowled, "It went off air five years ago idiot and thank you for making me feel even older." He nodded to screen where the TV!Winchesters were talking to the other man from the construction site. "Uncle Dusty? Damn we really milked that young card, now it's all FBI and DHS." After listening to the witness's account, TV!Sam and TV!Dean went to the housing development to examine the hole where the man died.

Cas interjected, "Is no one seeing this? Surely you can't barge onto a crime scene?"

"Probably didn't consider a crime scene anymore since they thought the guy had a disease," Dean reasoned. "Could explain why people wouldn't come near the thing."

"I can't believe you chickened me into that hole," Sam muttered grumpily. Suddenly there was a tap on his hand before he heard, _Why does that sound vaguely sexual?_ "With you, anything is sexual and thanks for the heads up," he whispered. He added to the group, "Can't believe I had to explain how cases work to Dean."

"I know how it works," Dean argued. "And I can tell you now, I'd still take our family over normal any day."

"That's because you have," this surprisingly came from Cas. "Many times over."

"And regret nothing buddy, I swear." Mary frowned, Dean's complete rejection of a normal life struck a chord with her. Once again she was forcibly reminded that her sons were seasoned hunters, thoroughly tied to the business. It was a fact that was becoming less and less bitter to swallow but the aftertaste was still unpleasant.

"Could you imagine what dad would have said if he heard that old crack?" Dean snorted.

"He would have absolutely shot me on spot," Sam laughed with a clap. "Better than being married to you though."

"I'm hurt Samantha, I really am," Dean rolled his eyes.

"Why do all these people believe that you and Sam are sexually involved?" Cas queried.

"Ask the internet," Sam shrugged and Dean made a strangled noise.

"DO NOT ASK THE INTERNET!" Dean shook his head frantically. "There are just some roads you do not want to go down!"

Sam smirked, "Funny considering where the internet thinks Cas should go do-"

"YOUR MOTHER IS RIGHT THERE!" Dean exclaimed but even Mary cracked up at Dean's manic expression. Cas was naturally perplexed while the voice's invisible laughter echoed in Sam's ears.

"Dude mom is going to find out about all of this anyway," Sam reasoned, coughing back into seriousness. "Why not just get it over with?"

"I realise you boys are grown men," Mary chimed in. "I had no doubt sex would come up eventually."

"Still it's weird," Dean made a face.

"I'm not judging baby," Mary soothed him. "Regardless of race, religion, gender, or apparently, species." Sam had to bite his hand to keep from laughing out loud again and even Cas chuckled once. Sadly, the jovial mood was brought down by TV!Sam and TV!Dean's discussion about their childhood. No one commented on it but one could sense the good humour draining from the room. The TV!Winchesters decided to squat in one of the empty houses and they watched the Head of Sales get attacked by a swarm of spiders. Mary cleared her throat at last, "God that is awful. So the kid is involved?"

"Well that was the theory," Sam and Dean shared a look, bracing for the awkwardness to come and it did not disappoint. Their onscreen counterparts tracked down Matt and discussed his problems at home. Sam winced when he suggested college as a way out and Dean rubbed his neck at his own comment. This was no longer a sticking point for the brothers, now understanding the other's side, but it didn't help hearing their old grievances aired out like that. Cas wisely chose not to say anything and Mary took a silent deep breath.

Dean was simultaneously grateful and peeved when they got to the burial ground scene and his television self stuck his hand down the worm-infested hole. "Like an episode of Fear Factor, thanks Chuck. I hate you."

Once again the scene changed and TV!Sam and TV!Dean finally hashed things out about John. Sam teared up, "I wish he would've come to me, even just once. I wish I called him."

"He knew you loved him," Mary said with absolute certainty. "You and John sound like me and my dad. I remember we argued a lot and one time I really thought he hated me and my mother said, that in a family, 'hate' is just another word for anger born out of love."

"Thanks mom," Sam smiled. On the show, they learned what happened to the Native Americans and the curse placed on the land.

"From heartwarming family moments to horrific acts of violence, sounds like the Winchesters to me," Dean commented.

"And no investigation would complete without a disbelieving idiot who refuses to listen," Sam added as Larry was confronting their television selves. "If he had just gotten out of dodge, we could have dodged several thousand bug bites."

"The bees were the worst," Dean flinched at the bugs descended and they were forced to wait it out. "Termites were a pain in the ass but at least they didn't bite."

"Not to complain or wish you boys ill, but that was an awfully short night," Mary observed.

"Perhaps my Father decided to end your sufferings early?" Cas suggested with a hint of a smile.

"He better have," Dean remarked.

"So is the land still cursed?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, there was an article about it," Sam said. "The government officially declared it Native American tribal land and gave it back to the Occhi. I think some of them moved into the remaining development since the curse didn't apply to them."

"A rare happy ending," Cas sighed.

"For the most part," Dean allowed.

"Well let's get going on the next one," Sam looked at the case and his face fell. He looked at Dean with a foreboding expression, "Home."


	12. Episode 9 - Home

Catching Up  
Chapter 10 – Home

Mary and Cas exchanged confused stares while Dean paled and Sam gulped. "Boys?" Mary looked between them. "What's wrong?"

By way of answering, Sam read the description of the episode, "Sam is haunted by a vision of a woman trapped in the brothers' childhood home and convinces a reluctant Dean that they need to go back there."

"Jesus…" Mary breathed. "You went back? After…"

"We had never been home before," Dean said lowly. "And we haven't gone back since either."

"Maybe we should skip this," whatever happened it obviously affected her sons and Mary wasn't about to make them go through it again.

"It's important," Sam said like it was against his will. "To the story anyway."

"It is," Dean hoarsely agreed. "Besides none of the other stuff matters now, you're here." He grasped Mary's hand and squeezed. "Press play Sammy."

"Right," Sam started the show and naturally they kicked off with the flashback sequence, now all the more difficult for the brothers to get through. It was over quickly and the show opened with a shot from the old house in Lawrence and a woman unpacking before her daughter comes in to complain about something being in the closet.

"That was your room Sam," Mary said before she could stop herself. Sam and Dean didn't say anything, noticing how their mother was transfixed by the show. It was the first time she was seeing her old home and even though the inside looked different, she knew every room by heart. The onscreen mother and daughter went through their bedtime routine. The mother returned to unpacking but was stopped by skittering sounds that she thought was rats. She goes into the basement where Mary realises are all her family's things are meanwhile something is emerging from the closet. The mom opens to a chest and Mary is torn between worrying about the little girl and crying looking at the old photos however her attention is taken by the fire entity in the girl's room. The child screamed and it immediately cut to the title card. Silently Sam and Dean held their mother as the show begins with Sam dreaming of the woman being trapped in the house then moving to TV!Sam and TV!Dean trying to decide where to go.

"See you complain about me not helping but then you ignore me," Dean made an attempt at levity.

"Like you haven't ignored me a million times before and after," Sam semi-smiled as TV!Sam explained to his brother about having those dreams and needing to go back to Kansas. It was hard for Mary to hear Dean say he never wanted to go back, even though she understood completely. That was their home, his home. They had had so many wonderful times there.

As the TV!Winchesters were driving into Lawrence, Mary softly asked, "Do you remember anything Dean?"

"Not really, it looked so different but still the same," Dean recalled. Onscreen, they met the mom, Jenny, and her family and learned about all the 'problems' with the house.

"Classic evil presence," Mary conceded. "Can't be the demon. Something else is there," Mary shuddered and Sam and Dean looked at each other before returning their attention to the show. The television brothers fought over how to handle the case and tried to take a step back to analyze the hunt. TV!Dean shared what he could remember and all they knew from John's perspective. They resolved to go digging into the past but neither of the Winchesters, either in real life or in the show, were entirely comfortable with it.

Dean watched himself call for John and beg his father to help. "I'll spare you the suspense, he didn't come," he said flatly.

"Well at least I know I wasn't the only one," Sam moved a shoulder.

"You called too?" Dean was surprised.

"Of course I did," Sam replied simply. Meanwhile, Jenny had brought in a plumber to fix her sink while a toy monkey was clearly reacting to some kind of presence. Suddenly the disposal activated with the plumber's hand still in the sink but the gruesome scene was cut short and the show shifted to TV!Sam and TV!Dean speaking with John's old partner Mike.

Listening to him talk about John, Mary smiled fondly, "Mike was a good man. We used to have him and his wife over for dinner." But her smile dimmed as he went on about John's descent into the supernatural and his dealings with a psychic.

"Enter Missouri," Sam grinned with some genuine happiness. "Now she was awesome."

"Says you," Dean grumbled but with a kind of half-smirk.

"She seems like quite a character," Mary snickered at Missouri's 'cold-banging the gardener' line.

"Mom was I really a goofy looking kid?" Dean turned to Mary with an exaggerated pout.

"No Dean, you were very handsome," Mary assured him but everyone, including Dean, laughed at the Missouri's rant at the older Winchester.

"It's strange," Cas mused. "I find this woman's tone with Dean to be oddly endearing…"

"If only I could have recorded Missouri threatening to whack Dean with a spoon, I would have used it as a ringtone," Sam joked.

"Well now you have the opportunity," Cas pointed out.

"You're right Cas, thanks," Sam shot a wicked grin at a disgruntled Dean.

"I don't like this show."

Mary patted him and they watched while Missouri and boys spoke while something was going after Jenny's son Richie. "No." Mary stopped patting Dean and nearly leapt off the couch when Richie was trapped in the fridge. She was horror-struck, clinging to the edge of her seat as Sam and Dean tried to comfort her. Luckily Jenny found Richie quickly. Mary sat back, her heart going a mile a minute. For a moment, she was seeing Sam or Dean instead of Richie. Something else was dimly registering with her, a sense of anger, like she had to do something about it. She worked to regain her focus, "I'm fine boys, I'm okay."

"You're sure?" Dean checked.

"Yes," Mary nodded. "Guess I got caught up, shame I don't have Missouri around to bring me back down."

Sam and Dean seemed uncertain about letting the subject drop so Cas stepped in. "Yes, she does seem to have that remarkable quality about her, wouldn't you say Dean?"

It really was something for their angel to be encouraging them to have tact so the brothers let it go. Dean huffed, "Yeah remarkable, that's definitely the word I'd use."

In the show, Missouri diagnosed the house. "A poltergeist?" Mary repeated. "And what's the second spirit?"

Neither brother was willing to answer her and pretended to be engrossed in the show. TV!Sam, TV!Dean, and Missouri prepared to purify the house and got Jenny and her kids out for the time being. "Here we go." Dean stated. Mary held onto her sons as they tried to take on the poltergeist and were attacked. Dean had knives sent at him and Sam was nearly choked to death by a power cord. Mary whimpered a little during the scene but otherwise fought hard to keep her composure. It was over soon but TV!Sam clearly had doubts. Everyone spared a smirk at Dean and Missouri but they knew the episode was far from over.

It didn't take long either for the next attack to begin and all hell broke loose in the house. TV!Dean rescued Jenny but in a moment painfully reminiscent of John Winchester TV!Sam sent the kids out while he was taken by the poltergeist. TV!Dean did his best to get to his brother but TV!Sam was still being ragdolled by the poltergeist. The fire spirit entered and Dean wasn't far behind but Sam stopped his brother from shooting it. The fire spirit turned out to be – "That's me," Mary said awestruck. "I was the spirit!"

"Yeah," Sam said. "You saved us. I guess you don't remember."

"No," Mary said sadly. "I feel like I should but I don't."

"Side note," Dean jumped in, more or less to move away from this conversation. "Did they light someone on fire for that effect?"

"It does appear to be that way," Cas agreed.

"I don't suppose you know what became of Jenny and house," Mary asked.

"No, all I can say is that it's been quiet in Kansas ever since," Sam answered. The TV!Winchesters drove off and they expected the credits to run but instead saw Missouri entering her home.

"Oh no," Mary bit her lip. "I hope nothing happens to Missouri."

Missouri spoke about Sam and they thought she was talking to herself but it turned ut that John was there. Jaws dropped and Dean sprung to his feet. John asked about Mary but said he wouldn't go to the boys until he knew the truth. Finally, the screen went black and the credits ran but everyone was winded from John's sudden appearance. "Son of a bitch," Dean growled drawing the room's attention. It was then that they noticed his jaw was tight and his hands were balled into shaking fists. "He was there. He. Was. There." Dean stormed out, slamming the door hard behind him.

Mary gestured for Sam and Cas to go after him, "Talk to him, I'd like a moment alone." She tilted her head towards the TV and after a second more, and Mary's silent insistence, they nodded and left. Mary picked up the remote and went back to John's scene, pausing on his face. Mary moved to kneel in front of the TV screen. "John…" she took in every detail of his face. The gray hairs, the beard, each line of his face. "This was my fault, I know it was. But why John? At least be with our sons, make sure they know their father loves them. I can't imagine what I put you and the boys through but there had to be another way. Of course, the same could be said for me." Mary sniffed and rested her head against the cool glass, "I'm sorry John, I'm so sorry."

*CU*

Cas and Sam caught with Dean at the indoor gun range, unloading clip after clip at thoroughly abused target. "Dean!" Sam shouted over the gunfire but his brother ignored him. Cas tried too but was met with the same response. Sam was prepared to go over to him but Cas held him back. With a simple hand movement, the angel held a handful of bullets and cartridges. The shooting stopped abruptly and Dean cussed, checking his gun and remaining ammo only find that they were gone. Dean braced the counter with both hands, "Cas give them back."

"Forgive me Dean but I do not think wasting your weaponry on a piece of paper will do you any good." Cas tossed the bullets aside. "You're angry at your father."

"You know what the rule was Cas," Dean chewed on the inside of his mouth. "If either of us were on a hunt, we wouldn't call unless it was an emergency. Hell, even Sam called."

"That's probably why he came but he didn't speak to us or help us," Sam fell against the doorframe dejected. The idea that their father, knowing what this meant to the brothers, would make them go it alone. It wasn't the usual John Winchester callousness, this was cold. "You think Missouri knew? Before?"

"Maybe," Dean scoffed. "I don't blame her, dad really was a stubborn bastard when he wanted to be. We searched everywhere, we thought he might have been dead."

"Whatever he was doing must've been important," Cas attempted to reason but Dean wasn't having it.

"If he could take the time to come down to Kansas, he could've taken the time see us. He clearly found somewhere to hide out that no body noticed him. You don't understand Cas, the whole reason I went to get Sam and we started hunting again was because of him. Don't you see it at the top of every single frigging show? 'Dad's on a hunting trip and he hasn't been home in a few days.'"

Sam jumped in, "Dean don't blame yourself -"

"I don't blame myself Sammy, all I'm saying is that that was one of the few times I really needed dad. I was the good son, you said so yourself, every word he said, I followed. I'm not ashamed of it, my family means everything to me. Every order, I obeyed. Every time he said 'trust me', I did and the moment I need him to be there, he just hangs back. And for what? Some truth? We know what he was talking about but that doesn't change us needing him right then."

"He always just out of reach Dean, that's nothing new. Whether he was on hunt, in front of your face, or hell, even at a psychic's house. It's just who he was." Sam said dejectedly.

"Listen to me the both of you," Cas stepped in. "I understand how hurt you must be. I spent just as long looking for my father. You scoured the continental U.S. and I the whole world. Not to mention, my Father is God. He would've, and did, know what was going on and did nothing to help us. He purposely chose to evade me and hid as an alcoholic writer cum prophet. He and John Winchester have much in common including one very important thing…" Cas waited until both brothers were looking at him before continuing. "They were there when it was absolutely necessary. John saved Dean and was there at Devil's Gate, my Father saved me and helped us fight Amara. Maybe we could've used them around more but they were there. I don't know about you two, but as far as absentee fathers go, it could be worse."

Dean grunted, "Yeah, small margin though." He took in a fortifying breath, "Look Sam I know you're worried about the Men of Letters but I need to get out of here. Let's take mom shopping, anything. Hang on mom, you left her alone?"

"I think she wanted a few minutes with dad," Sam responded. "As for going out…" Sam hesitated but a soft weight fell on his shoulder, _Go Sam_ , "Okay let's go."


	13. Breather

Catching Up  
Chapter 11 – Breather

 **A/N: Hey guys, I was going end off on the last chapter for now but after the torment we all went through last night I think we all need a breather (see what I did there?) Just some simple fun and laughs, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **

"Dean what colour you do like?" Mary asked skimming through a rack of t-shirts. She had already created reasonably sized piles for Sam and Dean but from the look of it, she wasn't slowing down.

"Mom come on this is taking forever. We're supposed to buying stuff for you not us," Dean complained.

"Yes but they're having a sale and it would be good to change things up once in a while." Mary pulled out a shirt and held it up against her eldest son. He made eye contact with Sam who watched from the side with amusement. _You should listen to your mother. At the rate you're going, it won't be long before your skin is dyed plaid permanently._ Sam rolled his eyes unfortunately his mother caught him and made a face. "Just give it chance Sam."

"Alright but this is enough for me," Sam took the clothes from her and went to the dressing rooms. Cas was already sequestered in there with an armload of pieces. Upon finding out he only had one suit, Mary promptly assembled several outfits and sent him off first. "You okay Cas?"

"The clothing fits my vessel but I'm not sure if it really becomes me. Can you help me?"

"Sure buddy, come out," Sam invited. Cas walked out of his cubicle wearing a dark green-beige shirt with blue jeans and a leather jacket. The voice in his head whistled lowly and Sam had to admit that Cas looked great. "It's very becoming Cas," Sam said honestly.

"Hey I -" Dean came in and stopped short at the sight of Cas in his new outfit. "Looking good Mr. Angel of the Lord."

"Thank you Dean, Sam," Cas smiled at them happily.

"Mom is putting on some stuff too," Dean jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to the women's side. "Let's just make sure all this stuff fits then get out of here. I'm starting to get hungry."

 _Of course you are._ Sam ignored the voice and headed into his change room, laying out all the things his mother wanted him to try. _You need a new suit, that much is certain._ "From Vizzini to Edna Mode?" _I could be Tyra Banks if you want…_ "No thanks, I'll stick with Edna." _Are you sure? I could go straight up 'Tiffany' on you._ "I don't even know what that means but I'll pass." _You push too hard dahrling but I accept._ Sam snorted softly, changing his clothes, "How are we doing on the Men of Letters front?" _You're good. Lady Toni is still getting flack and they're trying to figure out a 'subtle' method of kidnap._ "Will you come? If they do?" _Depends on what they cook up, you know why I'm here, I told you._ "Yeah you did, doesn't mean I like it." _Aw are you worried about me?_ "Judging by the Men of Letters, yes." _I'm touched Sam but I can take care of myself. Not that shirt!_ Sam paused picking up an olive-green shirt. _The white one would look better with those jeans._ Sam chuckled as he switched. "For a second I thought you were scared I'd get sucked into a vortex Edna." _It's a very real possibility for you._ "Shut up. Ass." _Did I just get my own Winchester insulting moniker?! Oh my, I wasn't ready. I'd first like to thank my third grade Math teacher who said I was destined for this *sniffles* I also want to express my gratitude for the support and encouragement from my entire family in becoming the ass I've always wanted to be and continuing to stay that way. Finally, *more sobbing* thank you Samuel Winchester for giving me this mark of distinction. I swear to you that I will honour it to the fullest for the rest of my days. THANK YOU! THANK YOU!_ By this point Sam had given all pretense of trying on outfits and was slumped against the wall, stifling his laughter and tears pricking his eyes. "You're such a dork," Sam forced out in between laughs. A sudden pounding on his door brought him back to seriousness.

"Hurry up princess, let's grab some grub before going back to the Bunker." Dean could be heard walking away and Sam was a little put out even though he couldn't exactly say why.

He put on his own stuff and prepared to leave. "Talk to you tonight," he murmured. _Sure._ Outside, Dean and Cas were waiting for him outside the change rooms.

"Took you long enough," Dean commented. "I heard grumbling, what's up? Didn't like anything?"

"No. Nope everything fit great," Sam denied. He couldn't stop himself from adding, "Actually I really this white shirt and these jeans."

"I'm sure they're very becoming on you Sam," Cas said politely.

"I think so," Sam shrugged.

"Ah so that's what you were doing, practising a few lines," Dean punched his arm lightly. "Thinking about getting back out there, Tiger?"

"Yes because I'm totally okay doing that with our mother around," Sam remarked and Dean's face fell.

"I didn't even think about that, guess our love live have gone down the drain," Dean groaned, his head falling back. 

"If it's any consolation, they were fairly abysmal to start with," Cas commented.

Dean lolled his head towards the angel, "Like you can talk, the only woman you've ever been with killed you."

Cas semi-pouted, "There was the woman from that den of iniquity you took me to."

"I'm sorry what?" Sam asked.

"I never told you that story? Good story."

"What story?" Mary inquired coming up to them.

Sadly Cas opened his mouth before the others could, "The time Dean took me a den of iniquity to have intercourse with a harlot ironically named Chastity."

Mary's jaw dropped but to Sam and Dean's surprise she started to giggle. "You're kidding! Okay, let's cash these out and get those burgers. I NEED to hear this."

 **A/N: I can't wait to write that conversation, probably as a companion piece. Hope this made everyone feel just a little better, until next time KISSES!**


	14. Episode 10 - Asylum

Catching Up  
Chapter 12 - Asylum

 **A/N: Hey guys, sorry I've been so MIA but I'm back now with a fresh batch of uploads. I'm writing this author's note with the hope that I can go up to Route 666 (you'll obviously know whether I succeeded). Nonetheless I am officially letting out to the universe that Season One should be done by the end of January even if I have to stay up and put the chapters out at midnight. You have my permission to pester me. Also, I wrote a companion scene 'Angelic Antics' featuring Mary learning about Cas and the hooker. I plan to do a few of these and they're not super important but I will make a reference or two here. Until next time, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **

The Winchesters returned to the Bunker after a good day of shopping and stories. No one really brought up continuing to watch the show but it was sort of assumed by all that someone would broach the topic eventually. That someone turned out to be Dean. He'd been the quietest of them all about it but as they got out of the Impala in the garage, he bounced his keys in his hand nervously and muttered, "So…another episode?"

"Sweetheart you don't have to-" Mary began but Dean shook his head.

"I'm fine, really, it's not like I can take it up with him," Dean puffed.

"Alright then, back to the study," Sam announced lightly.

Dean and Mary went ahead but Cas held Sam back, "May I have a word with you?"

"Sure Cas." Sam fidgeted a bit.

"I want to assure you that while I was not actively trying to read your mind, at the diner you projected your thoughts mentally and it was…odd. The first time you were complaining about the discussion regarding your mother's sexual history but the second was about staying somewhere and you mentioned a 'you' as if you were speaking to someone."

 _Sam, don't think anything back but do not tell him. Not now at least._ Sam took some calming breaths, keeping his mind as blank as possible. "Cas sorry if I worried you or something, I was just thinking of some other things. I wasn't even aware that I was projecting. I'm fine."

"You're certain there's nothing troubling you?"

"Yep, I'm good." Sam tried to smile.

Cas's head moved to one side ever so slightly, "Alright then. We should join the others." With that, the angel was gone and Sam let out a breath that he didn't know he was holding.

"Too close," Sam whispered to the air. _Way too close. Just try to answer me with your mouth and not your mind, trust me it makes a difference._ "How much longer do we have to do this?" _Not sure but you can't say anything yet._ "Fine," Sam huffed. He went to the study and found Mary and Cas already settled down and Dean loading up the DVD player.

"Hey slow poke," Dean called. "This should be a good one. 'Asylum'," he read off the DVD case. "Sam and Dean investigate an abandoned sanitarium and discover the patients had revolted against the cruel punishments inflicted by the head doctor."

"Sounds fantastic," Sam plopped down on the couch.

"I feel like I should recommend you re-examine your definitions of 'good' and 'fantastic'," Cas put in.

"As soon as we get some better references bud," Dean returned, taking a seat as well. They hit play and watched the obligatory opening montage. The show began with a shot of the Roosevelt Asylum in Rockford, Illinois. Some teenagers were sneaking into the building as cops show up and one tells the other, clearly a new guy, about the place.

"Like that wasn't some obvious exposition," Sam commented.

The cops split up and Dean rolled his eyes, "Newbie gets taken, calling it."

"No point when the show is shouting it," Sam gestured to the screen. True enough, the older officer escorts the teens out while something is obviously off about the newer one especially when he gets a nosebleed.

"Ah the nosebleed of doom," Dean chuckled. "So many hentai jokes, so not the time."

"Hentai?" Mary repeated and Dean grimaced while Sam shot him a look.

"Like I said, so not the time," Dean settled deeper into his seat.

The show moves to the young cop coming home to his wife. From what she says, they were obviously having some sort of issue. Without a word, the officer reaches for the gun and the shot cuts to the outside of the bedroom window where two flashes of light and shots go off. It then turns to TV!Sam and TV!Dean in a motel trying to track down John. From the sound of it, they had been calling around for him but no one had made any contact with the older Winchester. TV!Sam was worried, even considering calling the FBI but TV!Dean refused and would not entertain the idea that John might be dead. Just then his phone goes with a text with coordinates to Rockford and they discover the cop and his wife's deaths. "So John sent you coordinates for a case and nothing else?" Mary asked in disbelief. "Not even two words about anything?"

At same time TV!Dean appeared chime in the conversation, "Who cares? If he wants us there, it's good enough for me."

Dean's mouth twisted, "I'm blonde and I have daddy issues over his job. Great, I could work with Chastity."

"Shall we call you 'Prudence' then?" Cas asked to an uproar of laughter from Sam and Mary. The voice in Sam's head barked a laugh and what sounded like clapping. They were so busy enjoying the joke, they almost missed TV!Sam's and TV!Dean's performance for the other officer from before. They managed to collect themselves to see TV!Sam tell off TV!Dean and cozy up to the officer. TV!Sam left the bar and TV!Dean complained about being pushed.

"A good old fashioned ruse never hurt anyone," Mary commented.

"He shoved me really hard," Dean insisted.

"Ah but did he run through with an angel blade?" Cas smirked.

Dean pointed at the angel, "Keep it up Fluffy Feathers."

"Gladly," Cas said slickly.

"Guys we have a show to watch," Mary reminded them as TV!Sam and TV!Dean entered the asylum to investigate. They determine that the activity is in the South Wing and look around.

"Who is the hotter psychic?"

"Jennifer Love c'mon, is it even a contest?" Sam pffted.

"I would readily place Alyssa Milano and Charisma Carpenter in contention for that title," Cas shrugged.

Sam opened and closed his mouth, "Cas how much Netflix have you watched?"

"I don't need sleep Sam."

Sam and Dean shared a wide-eyed look before returning their attention to the show just in time for Dean and Sam to argue about John not being there and always having to follow his orders anyway.

The voice in Sam's head whistled lowly. _The daddy issues are REAL._ "Maybe Dean should've been the one to go to the psychiatrist."

"Yeah but only one of us was nerdy enough to pull off the whole 'local history buff' type deal," Dean countered. "And what happened to method acting?" he asked in reference to Sam's rather poor attempt at needling information from the doctor about his father.

"Half-drunk cops are one thing, never try to trick a shrink," Sam shook his head as the doctor offered to talk about the riot in exchange for something honest like talking about Dean.

"So what did you tell him?" Dean frowned.

Sam rolled his eyes, "That we were on the road searching for our monster-hunting father who sent us a job to go take care of the violent ghosts possessing people at the run-down sanitarium that his dad worked at."

"Seriously dude."

"I barely remember," Sam said sincerely. "All I can recall is I talked about us disagreeing a lot and how frustrated I was feeling about everything, especially Jess. Now can we please pay attention to murderous spirits and idiots teenagers that just strolled in there?"

"Fine." Dean gave in. Mary mulled over what Sam had said and couldn't help but feel irritation towards John for not at least calling the boys. She was guilty for a lot of things but John could have at least managed a phone call or even a proper text message. Her elder son's voice broke though her thoughts. "Who the hell takes a girl to a haunted asylum on a date then ditches her?"

"Why would you take a girl to an asylum on a date in the first place?" Sam opposed.

"Did he just _make out_ with a spirit?" Cas squinted.

"Yes he did," Dean bobbed his head. "Poor bastard." TV!Sam and TV!Dean arrived to investigate and found orbs and spirits all over. TV!Sam was approached by a ghost but it didn't try to attack him, still TV!Dean blasted it away. Then they found the girl, Kat, and go searching for her boyfriend Gavin. TV!Dean also takes the opportunity to strongly suggest to Kat to stay out of haunted places.

"This PSA brought to you by Dean Winchester," Sam announced.

TV!Sam finds Gavin who freaked out about kissing a ghost, justifiably so by the room's unspoken consensus. Meanwhile Kat is trapped by another ghost and TV!Sam believe that the ghosts are trying to communicate with them. He convinces Kat to just listen to the ghost and she gives them a number, '137'. _Dun, dun, dun!_ Sam groaned softly, "Not so loud."

The TV!Winchesters split up; TV!Sam is to get the teens out and TV!Dean goes looking for Room 137. "Boys we're going to have a serious discussion about the appropriate times to split up because going to the potential epicentre of ghost activity is NOT one of them," Mary remarked.

"So I'm not your boss," Dean turned to his brother.

"No," Sam maintained. "We're brothers Dean, partners."

"Yeah but you didn't need to say it like that," Dean pouted a bit.

In the show, TV!Dean had discovered Dr. Ellicott's experiment journals and Sam was lured into the basement. "Wow that really sounded like me," Dean said. "Creepy. And now Sammy's going to be ghost chow."

"This portends to be all variations of bad," Cas added drily as Ellicott caught Sam. Luckily TV!Dean talked to the teens still trapped in the asylum and went after him. He runs into now Possessed!Sam and it doesn't take long for things to go south. Possessed!Sam attacks TV!Dean and might have killed him had there been any bullets in the gun. This gave TV!Dean the opening to take control and knock his brother out.

"That could've been worse," Dean said.

"How?" Cas asked.

"He didn't say anything that I didn't already know or couldn't figure out really," Dean shrugged. "Now watch me take out this ghost."

Sure enough, TV!Dean found Ellicott's bones in the cupboard and began to prepare the corpse to b burned. Dr. Ellicott's spirit attacked but TV!Dean still had the wherewithal to grab his lighter and throw onto the body. The doctor's spirit was destroyed and TV!Sam was back to normal again. They said goodbye to Kat and Gavin and TV!Sam apologized for what happened but TV!Dean just wanted sleep.

"All's well that end well I guess," Mary allowed herself to smile. Just then, show cut to the boys in their hotel room with the phone ringing. TV!Dean wouldn't wake up so TV!Sam answered the call and it caused Mary to sit up straighter. "Dad?"


	15. Episode 11 - Scarecrow

Catching Up  
Chapter 13 – Scarecrow

"Finally, John actually called. Let's see the next episode," Mary insisted but Sam and Dean couldn't meet their mother's gaze. "Boys… What's wrong?" Sam silently picked up the DVD case and handed it to her so she could read the description. "Sam and Dean finally make contact with their father, but he tells them to stop looking for him and sends them on another ghost-hunting job." Mary had completely deflated by the time she was finished and set the case down. "Oh."

"Yeah." Dean said shortly.

"I still want to see it," Mary said evenly and her boys acquiesced by starting the show. It began on a shot of Burkitsville, Indiana a year previously where a couple had gotten lost and the townspeople had helped them out. They get stranded by an orchard and decide to go through it for help, stumbling across a creepy scarecrow on the way.

"It's kind of Blair-Witchy, you know, minus the snot," Dean commented.

"What?" Mary asked.

"Horror movie," Sam said simply. Everyone cringed as the couple was attacked and the women's screams filled the room. The scarecrow had clearly come off it's stand.

"And that is why I can never watch the Wizard of Oz ever again," Dean shuddered.

"I'd suggest closing your eyes but I should hope that you don't have ruby red heels around," Cas inserted.

"Not anymore but green is more my colour," Dean winked.

Onscreen, TV!Sam and John were talking but John refuses to say where he is but does say that he's tracking the demon that killed Mary and Jess. He tries to get TV!Sam to write down some names but his son doesn't care, he's more focused on what's going on. Then TV!Dean takes the phone from him and automatically complies. "Dude you can almost see the shift into soldier-mode," Sam said to his brother.

"I seriously had issues," Dean concurred as TV!Dean ran down the case about the pattern of couples going missing.

"We both did," Sam added as their counterparts began to argue about whether to go to Indiana or to follow John to California.

"Please tell me this isn't going where I think it is," Mary watched with worried eyes. The boys were spared the trouble of answering as the TV!Winchesters' argument blows up and they go their separate ways.

"I wish I could say this is the only time you're going to see that," Sam said to his mother apologetically.

"It's okay sweetheart," Mary assured him although it sounded hollow even to herself. Onscreen, TV!Dean arrived in Burkitsville to investigate and immediately encountered an uncooperative local.

"Well that's foreboding," Cas said.

At the same time, TV!Sam is walking along and finds a girl on the side of the road. "Meg!" Dean exclaimed.

"Yeah, I told you how we met," Sam said.

"Guess I forgot, it's been a long time," Dean shrugged.

"Friend of yours?" Mary asked,

"Yep and a demon in disguise."

"Why am I not surprised?"

"She did help us out a few times," Sam reasoned.

"I wonder what's become of her…" Cas mused and cold dread filled Sam and Dean. They shared a loaded stare that only Mary noticed and immediately understood. The brothers tried to remain in their spot and watch TV!Dean look around the orchard but their guts were churning. They spared a snort for the 'dude you fugly' line but within seconds Sam jumped up and left the room with Dean right behind him with a mumbled 'be right back'.

"Tell me you told him," Sam said the second they were out of earshot.

"Me? What about you? You could have told him, apparently both of you two were so fond of her," Dean hissed back.

"We have to tell him before he finds out in the show," Sam insisted.

"I know," Dean's shoulders sagged and rubbed a hand across his mouth. "Let's not drop the hammer on the guy just yet. It's been a rollercoaster already, the dude had to share a vessel with Lucifer for months. Choice or not, that can't have been pleasant."

"It's not," Sam said curtly. He looked towards the study, "When?"

Dean fell against the wall, "After the leviathan I guess, maybe when he gets stuck in the asylum. Look there's no good time for this but the least we can do is let him enjoy some of the memories he's got with her."

Sam was still unconvinced but relented, "Fine." They dragged themselves back to the study, pointedly not looking at the angel as they sat down. "What did we miss?" Sam asked hoarsely.

Cas of all people answered, "Dean identified the tattoo on the scarecrow as the same one from the man who went missing. He spoke to the girl Emily and she told him that the town was oddly prosperous and there was another couple in town. You are at the bus station but won't be able to leave until the next day."

"Right," Sam attempted to calm himself back down as his television-self contemplated calling Dean just as his brother had done earlier. _Well aren't you a lovely couple?_ "I was wondering where you've been." _I was busy, kind of a lot going on here. Aw Baby-Sam- face is so precious!_ Sam rolled his eyes but didn't say anything to that. Him and Meg introduced themselves properly while Dean tries to help the next victims at the café but it doesn't go well. _So subtlety wasn't on the short-list of baby names for that one._ "On the contrary," he continued in a louder tone, "subtlety thy name is Dean Winchester."

"That would be an excellent hooker name," Cas added and Mary and Sam burst out laughing.

"You guys suck," Dean grumbled. Unsurprisingly, TV!Dean is forced out of town while TV!Sam and Meg bond over some drinks. "Well she certainly laid it on thick," Dean remarked.

"No kidding," Mary agreed but squeezed Sam's hand sympathetically. "I'm sorry Sam."

Sam didn't have to ask what for, "I'm fine." Meanwhile, TV!Dean was back in town as the latest victims were in the orchard being stalked by the scarecrow. Thankfully TV!Dean was there to save them and finally makes contact with his brother. They go over the case and actually share a touching moment and make up. Mary can't help the cooing 'aw' that escapes her and the voice snickers, _how sweet._ Sam doesn't care and from the look of it, neither does Dean.

"I am confused," Cas said. "How does what Dean said equate to 'goodbye'?"

"He let go," Mary said softly. She put her head on Dean's shoulder as they learned about the lore of the Vanir, Norse gods of protection and prosperity. But of course, nothing ever goes smoothly so TV!Dean is ambushed and the townspeople prepare to sacrifice him and Emily to the Vanir. TV!Sam becomes worried when his brother doesn't answer the phone and decides not to go to California, against Meg's protests, and heads back to Burkitsville.

TV!Dean and Emily are trapped in a cellar, waiting for the sacrifice to happen. As it turns out, she didn't know what was going on but would help Dean find the sacred tree that would kill the Vanir. The townspeople come and tie them to trees in the orchard but TV!Dean swears he's working on a plan.

"He doesn't a plan." Sam said.

"Did too!"

Night fell and TV!Dean and Emily were still trapped.

"He didn't have a plan," Cas shook his head.

"I had Sammy," Dean said happily as TV!Sam returned to help them.

 _A knight on a stolen white horse,_ the voice chimed in and Sam rolled his eyes doubly hard.

"And now the scarecrow is alive," Mary sighed, becoming far too used to this narrative far too soon. "And the lynch mob is still around, perfect." Onscreen the Vanir took Emily's aunt and uncle and she winced, "Okay, not perfect. I'd feel worse but…"

"Yeah sacrificing your niece to a pagan god doesn't really earn much sympathy in the end," Dean commented.

 _Aren't pagans just the worst?_ Sam snorted, "Pagans can be real pains in the ass." _*GASP* SAM!_ Chuckling Sam continued, "But we were able to get away and the others were so spooked, they didn't bother looking for us or anything afterwards."

"Small favours, still at the price of two people," Mary said.

"Nobody liked it," Dean replied evenly staring, much like his TV self, at the now burning tree Emily had ignited. It was almost like he was standing on the other side of time, opposite himself and TV!Sam, knowing what lay ahead. If only all their problems could have been solved with some flammable liquid and a lighter. Dean shook his head to clear it and watched as Emily boarded the bus and TV!Sam made his speech about them sticking together. "That really was beautiful Sam."

"Shut up jerk."

"Bitch."

"I suppose that's returned now," Cas added. "Hang on what is this?" he asked referring to another scene with a van driving down a lonely road. It was Meg. She told the driver to pull over before killing him to take his blood and 'make a call'.

"Jesus," Mary gasped but it only got stranger and worse as she hinted at being after Sam and possibly Dean. "Yes _father_?" Mary repeated. "What the hell?"

"Exactly actually," Cas turned to her. "Meg being a demon and all. It's strange seeing her like this, knowing what she'll become in the future."

"Hey, how about that next episode huh?" Dean proclaimed loudly and all but snatched the remote to begin the next one.

"When are you going to tell him?" Mary whispered to them.

"Soon," Sam promised. "For now let's just keep going with…" he checked the case, "Faith. Fantastic."


	16. Episode 12 - Faith

Catching Up  
Chapter 14 – Faith

"While battling a demon, Dean is electrocuted, resulting permanent damage to his heart and leaving him with only a couple of months to live," Cas read the description aloud. "This promises to be charming."

"You have a voice made for sarcasm my friend," Dean complimented as the show started and they saw the Impala pulling up to an old house, TV!Sam and TV!Dean clearly preparing to fight a monsters.

"100,000 volts?" Mary looked at her boys in askance.

"Those are Tasers mom," Sam explained. "Instead of bullets, they shoot prongs that give out a huge electrical charge. They were fairly new during your time but in the 90's they were redesigned and only made stronger from there."

"So those things have the capability to produce 100,000 volts of electricity in a single shot?" Mary made a face. "That is…actually kind of awesome."

Dean grinned while Sam and Cas shared a look. "Like mother, like son," they said together.

Onscreen, TV!Sam and TV!Dean save some children and TV!Dean goes after the creature which knocks him into a pool of water. This meant that when he fired his Taser, the electricity conducted through the water and got TV!Dean too resulting in a massive heart attack and permanent damage. _Decidedly not as awesome,_ the voice said and Sam couldn't help but agree. _I can already guess where this dog and pony show is going but I wonder if any of the insane cloud posse would've shown up if Deano had really gone to knock on Death's door…_ Sam frowned, "Good question."

"What? What I said about daytime TV?" Dean looked at him.

"No actually, I was…um…thinking about if any of the boys upstairs would've intervened in all of this," Sam jerked his head upward.

"In what one might call my educated opinion, I'd say no," Cas answered. "Knowing how determined they were to set the apocalypse in motion, having a ready-made excuse to send Dean to hell would have been – for lack of a better word – a blessing."

"You think it might have been set up? Saving me when you did?" Dean asked.

"That I cannot give you a definitive answer," Cas told him honestly. "Time passes differently in heaven, Earth, and hell. Would I be surprised if that were the case? Absolutely not."

"I don't suppose I'll be getting an explana-" Mary began but stopped at the sound of John's voice coming from the television screen. She listened as TV!Sam left him a message about Dean being sick and rounded on Sam next to her. "Did he come?" When her youngest didn't respond, she grabbed the remote and paused the show. "Tell me he showed up. Tell me he didn't ignore his son being terminally ill, tell me please."

Sam made a helpless gesture and ultimately shook his head, "I'm sorry, he didn't come."

Mary leant forward on her knees, eyes shut tight and dragging in breaths slowly. She was still battling her own guilt and now add in being furious at John compounded by the sense of being a hypocrite for it. "Mom?" she opened her eyes to Dean kneeling in front of her. "Dad… It was a pretty crappy move, no question about that and there will be a few more of those before all is said and done. But -" he spared a glance at Cas, "I promise he was there right when we needed him the most. You know what happens."

Mary gently held his face, "Is this when…"

"No, that's another near death experience of mine." Dean smiled once.

"Clearly there is much to look forward to," Cas interjected and Mary's laughed against her will.

"Alright," she said at last. "Let's see how this one pans out."

"Lets," Sam agreed and picked up the remote. He started the show as TV!Dean arrived at the hotel TV!Sam was staying in, having not wanted to die in the hospital. TV!Sam discusses going see some specialist in Nebraska.

" **You're not going to let me die in peace, are you?"**

" **I'm not going to let you die, period."**

 _Ain't that the gospel of truth._ Sam almost rolled eyes back as if he could look at the voice. "I get it okay," he whispered under the cover of the show. "I'm pretty stubborn and can get single-minded but he's my brother and it's not going to change." _That's more introspection than I ever expected from a Winchester. I must say Sammy, I'm impressed. Hang on, you took him to a faith healer?_

"You took him to a faith healer?" Cas asked at the same time as the voice and Sam had tamp down a snort.

"It's a noble profession, you ought to know Cas," Sam quipped.

"Yes my time as Emmanuel was enriching," Cas nodded.

"Would have preferred you over this mook," Dean glared at the healer Roy who had taken the podium and called on him to be healed. The group watched TV!Dean be healed and see some strange man behind Roy. The next day, TV!Dean is perfectly healthy while some other man dropped dead of a heart attack.

"Oh that's not good," Mary groaned.

"I'm certain that was a reaper," Cas said. "But they usually don't look so decayed. Something must have been diminishing its power." Sam and Dean shared a look, took a moment to appreciate and wish they had their angel brother sooner, sighed, and then just let it go.

TV!Dean went to visit Roy and his wife Sue Anne to discover the source of his powers. Roy talked about TV!Dean having purpose and Cas cocked his head, "I realise he is a charlatan but how could he have known…"

"Probably some fortune cookie crap," Dean dismissed. "He didn't know jack, believe me." Meanwhile, TV!Sam looking into the death of the runner and noticed the broken clock that stopped at the time the guy died. TV!Dean runs into Leighla and her mother outside of Roy's house and the mother is frustrated that Roy still won't heal her daughter.

She vents on TV!Dean and Mary growled protectively, "She had no right putting that on Dean! I'm sorry for Leighla but how dare she say that to my son!"

"She was just scared for Leighla," Dean placated her.

"Dean you should never question whether you deserve to live," Mary insisted.

"Well you can't blame me after this," Dean pointed to the screen where they discuss the truth behind Roy's miracles and the reaper working for him.

"See how the reaper's hand heals when he is taking the soul?" Cas called to their attention. "Souls are both a reaper's duty and source of power. Their constant connection to the veil keeps them looking rather human. This one has long since been disconnected, it's not doing what it should, it's being kept away."

"Like Davy Jones, he wasn't doing what he was supposed to and the magic corrupted him physically," Dean surmised.

"I don't understand that reference but I think so," Cas frowned confused.

"Wow binding a reaper is no joke," Mary remarked as the TV!Winchesters discussed reapers and how to fight them. "I heard they'll turn on the binder if the bond is broken. You might as well just sell your soul, at least you'll get ten years of freedom out of the deal. Not to mention Roy is making this one his errand boy, it is not going to be happy."

TV!Sam point-blank refused to kill Roy and real life Sam had to laugh, "Can't kill Death eh Dean?"

"I didn't know him then."

"You did what?!" Mary asked sharply.

"Now that is a long story," Sam blew a breath.

The boys onscreen agree to break the spell so TV!Sam goes to investigate the house while TV!Dean attempts to stall the service. TV!Sam found the secret spellbook including newspaper articles about the victims and how they were somehow immoral or went against the church. He tells TV!Dean who was in the tent for service as Leighla gets called up to be healed. He can't convince her to not to go, while in the parking lot, the reaper is after a protester. With little choice left, TV!Dean screams fire and gets everyone to evacuate the tent but it doesn't stop the reaper leading them to discover Sue Anne as the one binding the reaper and not Roy. Sue Anne pretends to be the victim and has the cops send TV!Dean away.

 _If only I had run into this piece of work when I was back in business._ Sam smirked. Meanwhile, Leighla confronts TV!Dean before he heads off to meet with TV!Sam, they figure Sue Anne probably bound the reaper to save Roy and then started using him to attack people she considered immoral. They go back to stop Sue Anne and TV!Dean is upset about Leighla.

"For whatever comfort it is worth, I speak from personal experience, playing god is not wise," Cas said.

"You weren't so bad Cas," Dean sent the angel a grin. "You saved the leaper colonies and dismantled the Klu Klux Klan…and fried some motivational speakers extra crispy."

"Not funny Dean," Cas growled over the hunter's snickers.

"It's really not," Sam agreed but still couldn't stop a laugh from escaping.

"The types of conversations in this room…" Mary rubbed her forehead. "I'm half-interested, half-dreading finding out the backstory to all of this." As they talked, in the show, TV!Dean drew the police off and TV!Sam went looking for the alter. He found it in the cellar and realises that Sue Anne intends to kill Dean next. She catches him and traps in the cellar, proclaiming that she is doing god's work.

"She is…" Cas began.

"Batshit crazy, yeah," Dean filled in.

"Dude why didn't you run when you saw the reaper?" Sam asked as the reaper bore down on TV!Dean.

"It wasn't slow like that," Dean explained. "I mean it was and it wasn't. One second he was walking towards me but then I blinked and he was right in front of me. He reached out but in a flash, his hand is on my head."

"Lucky Sam got out so quickly," Mary said. They watched as TV!Sam destroyed Sue Anne's cross and the reaper turned on her, unfortunately this meant Leighla would not be healed and Roy was left, none the wiser. "Wonder what became of Roy?"

"To be honest, I have no idea," Sam replied. Onscreen, the boys are packing up when Leighla comes by to say goodbye. Her and TV!Dean chat about what happened and Dean promises to pray for her.

"That is a miracle," Cas concurred with Leighla's sentiments.

"Hey I pray," Dean protested. "Sometimes…to Cas…"

"If telling me to 'get my feathery ass' wherever you happen to be qualifies as prayer then you are a devout man indeed," Cas rolled his eyes.

 _Check the case Sammy, I think I might be around more for this one._ Sam read the description and let out a loud snort garnering the attention of the room. "It will take a lot more than prayer to save you big brother," he grinned devilishly and showed Dean the next episode. "Route 666."


	17. Episode 13 - Route 666

Catching Up  
Chapter 15 – Route 666

Dean snatched the case from his brother, knowing exactly what would be in this episode. "No…"

"What's the matter sweetheart?" Mary leaned over to peek. "Dean is contacted by his first love, Cassie, a girl who asks him to come to Mississippi to investigate a string of racially motivated murders. Well then -" Mary worked to keep a smile off her face, finally she'd see some level normalcy with her boys even the midst of the usual chaos. "Shall we begin?"

"I'm pretty sure we can skip this," Dean attempted.

"No we can't," Sam denied easily, pressing play.

"Can."

"Can't."

"Bitch."

"Shhhh it's starting," Sam winked and Dean fell silent, crossing his arms petulantly. _Here you go, drinks on me._ Sam looked around before reaching for his abandoned beer bottle from earlier only to find that it was full. He took a long sip and sat back to watch the opening sequence. The show began on a car driving through Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The driver was having trouble with his radio just before a truck appears behind him.

"This is Cassie's dad I guess," Dean murmured.

"Never met him?" Cas asked.

"Nah, Cassie was in school at the time. She wasn't at home." The truck continued to stalk Cassie's dad before attacking, forcing him off the road and causing him to flip his car, then disappearing.

"Ghost truck," Mary commented. "That's a new one."

On the show, TV!Dean tells TV!Sam that they aren't going to Pennsylvania like they had planned but were heading to see an 'old friend' about her father's death. _Old friend eh?_ "Oh wait for it," Sam whispered. Sure enough, it's revealed that far from being an old friend, Dean was involved with Cassie and told her their family secret.

Mary combed her fingers through Dean's hair, "You must have really liked her. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you baby."

Dean caught the hand and squeezed it, "Probably for the best it didn't." Cassie came onscreen as she and two men were arguing about what the newspaper reported on. All eyes subtly cut to Dean who had a soft smile on his face. Cassie and TV!Dean reunited and they went to her home to discuss what had happened to her father and his friend/business partner. She explained that her father had been afraid of being stalked by a truck and even though his car was damaged, there was only evidence of one car on the road the night of the crash. Then Cassie's mom came in and Cassie introduced her to TV!Sam and TV!Dean.

 _What is it with them and calling each other friends?_ "What is it with you guys and the word 'friends'?" Sam asked aloud.

"Got any better words Mr. Stanford?" Dean asked rhetorically. 

"She knows something," Mary determined, judging Cassie's mom behaviour. "That truck is more than just a random apparition but what?" Suddenly the show jumped to the site of another accident and the truck ominously revving in the background. The man Cassie had been with earlier was dead. "That's just horrifying." The next morning, Cassie was arguing with the mayor when TV!Dean and TV!Sam arrived. "For a car to be that mangled, it couldn't be simple accident."

"It was the only explanation," Sam said. "No proof to support the idea of another vehicle being there, no matter how bad the wreck was."

Onscreen, Cassie bluntly asks the mayor if he would be more concerned if the victims were white. "Oh I like her," Mary softly applauded. "But at least I was right about the mother knowing something although whatever the mayor was talking about could be completely unrelated."

"It wasn't," Dean assured her. "And Cassie was a force of nature."

"You know, in an observationally interesting way," Sam smirked.

"Look, one of you being brat is more than enough," Dean moved a finger between the two Sams. "Now listen to me while I crack this case." Sure enough, TV!Sam and TV!Dean talk to two men, one of whom tells them about a string of deaths back in the 60's where black men would disappear in a big truck.

"The comparison to the Flying Dutchman is quite fitting Dean," Cas commented during the TV!Winchesters analysis.

"Thanks Cas," Dean smiled at his friend only to have it slide off his face as the TV!Winchesters discuss what really happened between him and Cassie.

"I really am sorry Dean," Mary murmured to her son.

"Yeah me too," Sam added sincerely.

"No pity parties okay," Dean brushed it off. "Just do me a favour and skip this part." In the show, TV!Dean had gone to see Cassie.

"Why?" Sam inquired, the humour growing again. "What's the matter?"

"It's personal you ass, just skip ahead," Dean ordered but Sam childishly sat on the remote.

"Nope." Dean growled but he knew he couldn't move his sasquatch of a little brother so tried to think another way of avoiding the next part. The argument with Cassie was winding down and as soon as the music started, Dean lunged for the DVD player but Sam scrambled to stop him. The pair wrestled and Dean almost got there but it was too late, the horror had begun. Castiel, the indomitable angel of the Lord, snickered while Mary had her hand over her mouth to hide her amusement and awkwardness.

"Dude," Sam rolled with laughter. "They even gave you an alternative-rock soundtrack."

"Son of a bitch," Dean broke away to snatch up the remote only to find that the skip button wouldn't work.

Sam had a sneaking suspicion who was behind that and looked to the ceiling, "You can really be evil you know that?" The scene was over a few seconds later but Dean was still grumbling. "Ah come on Dean, it wasn't that bad. Besides, it was quick." Sam innocently met Dean's glare. _You were saying something about evil kiddo._ Sam shrugged.

"Our mother is sitting right here," Dean mumbled but trailed off as they watched the mayor also get attacked by the truck, this time outside his car.

"I wasn't looking," Mary whispered, patting his knee. TV!Dean and Cassie appear to patch things up just in time for TV!Sam to call his brother about the mayor. TV!Dean went to the newspaper office to look up the murders in the 60's and if it was related to what was happening. TV!Sam had apparently gone to the courthouse and they found a connection through the Dorian family, particularly Cyrus Dorian. After the mayor bulldozed the old Dorian home, the killings began the next day.

 _Coincidence? I think not!_ The voice imitated some sort of accent that Sam couldn't place. "What?" _It's from Polka Dot Shorts, Canadian kids show, look it up._

The next scene showed Cassie home alone when the lights began to flicker and the truck appeared outside of her house. "It's attacking a home now," Cas tilted his head. "That is a major change in the methodology besides what did Cassie have to do with anything?"

"You'll see," Dean intoned and motioned for them to pay attention to their discussion with Cassie and her mother as she began to tell her story and what Dorian had done.

"It was a terrible time back then," Mary shook her head listening to Cyrus's terror on the town. "The hate ran deep."

"Cyrus got what was coming to him," Dean bobbed his head. "And Cas here knocked out the KKK."

"You really did that?" Mary looked over at the angel.

"Trust me Mary, you will not be as impressed once you hear the whole story," Cas grimaced. "Although I do take some pride from that."

"Nowadays I really miss conversations that start with 'this killer truck'," Sam commented.

"Not to mention this Cassie seems to be the only one who can wrest a 'please' out of Dean," Cas added. Onscreen, TV!Sam and TV!Dean dredge and burn Cyrus's body but that only angers the killer truck. TV!Dean elects to lead it off while TV!Sam attempts to figure out a way to destroy it. TV!Sam calls in Cassie and instructs TV!Dean to go to a specific spot where the truck attempts to run him down only for it to disappear. TV!Sam explains that he led him to the hallowed ground of the old church on the chance that it might get rid of the spirit.

"I'll still kill you for that," Dean glared at his little brother but got distracted by his and Cassie's goodbye. Maybe he ought to look for her but then the image of Lisa lashed against his memory like a stinging slap. It was probably for the best he didn't.

Sam didn't even have the heart to take shots at his brother, already knowing where his mind was. _Great now I actually feel sympathy for your brother._ "You could always get out of my head." _No thanks, it's really comfy in here._ Sam rolled his eyes and got to his feet, "Let's take a break."


	18. Here and Now

Catching Up  
Chapter 16 – The Here and Now

 **A/N: Hey guys, I need to offer my sincerest apologies. I know I had promised to have Season One finished well before now but these last couple of months have been extremely hectic and I didn't want you to wait any longer for an upload so I'm giving you what I have right now. But on a happier note, for my 100** **th** **story, I am writing a SuperWhoLock that I think everyone will enjoy. My schedule should ease up by the end of April but I will try to do at least one upload before then. Until next time folks, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **

The foursome dispersed with the unspoken agreement to meet back there in a little while. Dean went to the library and booted up Sammy's laptop. It wasn't so much about going to meet her as it was seeing how she was. He never really thought about how those around him were affected after he and Sam rolled out but this was one time when he needed to reassure himself. Going on to a search engine, he typed in Cassie's name and pulled up her profile. From what he could glean, she was working in Jefferson City though he couldn't tell if she was married or not. "No one would blame you, you know," someone said from behind. It was Cas, holding a cup of coffee and offering another.

"Blame me for what?" Dean asked accepting the beverage.

"Finding her, continue to work things out," Cas said placidly. "You have a far to go before ninety."

"That's if I live that long," Dean shut the laptop. "You know what happened with Lisa, what would make things with Cassie any different?"

"Because you know what happened with Lisa," Cas re-joined. "And won't make the same mistakes again."

"Seriously Cas?" Dean snorted. "You're one of us, you know making the same mistakes are our trademark."

"I suppose that's true but we do try," Cas toasted him.

"And fail," Dean tacked on, clinking mugs. "Then try again." He paused before taking a sip, "But we can't play with someone else's life like that."

"We frequently toy with the fate of the world if not the universe, at least once a year. We have the television documentary to prove it," Cas pointed out.

"You got me there," Dean allowed. "But I still can't bring myself to drag another person down with me again. I don't even know what I was thinking back then."

"You had hope," Cas said simply. "Something I ardently wish I had the power to restore to you."

"Thanks," Dean replied. "But I've got all I need right here." The pair continued to drink in companionable silence.

*CU*

Cas had made coffee so Mary helped herself to some, leaning on a counter, letting the warmth permeate her. She had been given a lot to think about over the last couple days. John's behaviour, Sam and Dean's life, and all the little details she had heard. Cas playing god, these Leviathan the boys kept mentioning, killing Death, and the idea of them working with demons/the king of hell (not to be mistaken for Satan) just to name a few. Both of her boys had already lost their first loves thanks to hunting and it didn't seem like the pain was going to stop. She still know who Ben was or why Sam immediately apologized for simply mentioning him. It really stuck with her, so much was shrouded in ominous mystery. "Mom? You okay?" she looked over and saw Sam by the doorway.

"I'm fine sweetheart," she assured him. "Want some coffee?"

"No thanks," Sam shook his head. "I just want to look something up on my laptop before we start watching the show again."

"Okay," Mary smiled. "I'll make some popcorn for us."

"Sounds great," Sam approved. "See you in a bit." Mary nodded but Sam didn't see it as he had already walked away. She grabbed a couple of bags of microwave popcorn and began to prepare them. She couldn't dwell on these thoughts at the moment, she still had so much to find out and, more importantly, right now figure out a way to connect with her sons.

*CU*

Sam went to the library and found Cas and Dean in there drinking coffee, his laptop in front of Dean. "Hey, you using that?"

"Nah go ahead," Dean pushed the computer towards him.

"Thanks," Sam sat down and opened it. He saw what Dean had been looking at but didn't comment. He just sent his brother their customary look and then jumped back to the search engine but paused. Was he really going to do this? _Come on, you know you want to._ Sam made a face and pulled up a word document. **Only because you put it in my head.** _Directly at that._ Sam sighed and typed in 'Polka Dot Shorts coincidence I think not' and clicked on a link to a video, The Sandwich (1995). He surreptitiously plugged his headphones in and watched, half-amused, half-questioning his life decisions as some kind of giraffe creature, a ragdoll friend, and a teddy bear friend to make sandwiches. Somehow he watched to the end and couldn't help but laugh – at himself. _Oh please, you know it was good._ Sam said nothing but cleared his history and turned off the laptop with finality. He walked away, intent on getting some water and trying not to think about he just forfeited about 8 minutes of his life. _At least now you'll understand it if I call you Polkaroo._ "Don't you dare," Sam warned. "How did you even know about that show?" _Bear is my spirit animal._ "Sure," Sam rubbed his temple. "Just don't call me Polkaroo, I'll take moose over that any day." _For now…_

 **A/N: P.S. Yes I'm Canadian and I loved Polkaroo, I have no idea what possessed me to put it in my story but I thought it was fun. Don't worry, I'll try not to be too ridiculous. XX**


	19. Episode 14 - Nightmare

Catching Up  
Chapter 17 – Nightmare

The group reconvened in the study once more, Mary bearing two large bowls of popcorn for them to eat. "Alright," she said semi-cheerfully, her mind was still a little on John. "Let's see how many of these we can get through."

"We could probably binge right through to the end," Dean said doing a quick count of the remaining episodes. "You know if you're not too tired in your old age," he smirked.

Mary cocked an eyebrow, "I'm your mother but I am not above kicking your ass. Put the DVD on."

"Yes ma'am," Dean complied and started up the show. "So, in the continuing adventures of the dashing Dean Winchester and his dorky baby brother Sam, this episode is called 'Nightmare'. Sam has a premonition in which a man is killed, but the murder is made to look like a suicide."

"Fantastic," Sam muttered. "I remember this one."

"You and me both brother," Dean agreed as the show opened and they watched a car pull into a garage. Almost immediately something strange was clearly going on; the garage door shut itself, the doors locked and the car started, trapping the driver in the vehicle as the carbon monoxide accumulated causing the man to suffocate and die. To make matters worse, TV!Sam was seeing it all in his dreams.

"Well that was an ominous commencement," Cas observed.

"Yeah and a pretty crappy way to start too," Dean chimed in.

Mary whispered, "He's joking, right?"

"Just don't ask and we can all assume so," Sam said and she nodded.

Onscreen, TV!Sam and TV!Dean rushed to get to the house but they are too late to save the driver. All the circumstances align with the vision but the police are calling it a suicide. TV!Sam is convinced that the death was a murder and so the brothers investigate by going undercover as –

"Priests," Mary said dubiously. "You pretended to be priests."

"Was my father in a drunken stupor when this was happening?" Cas said flatly. "Surely this is sacrilege on the highest level."

"Your dad has a virgin/hooker fetish," Dean countered. "Not exactly solid moral high ground to stand on."

" _God_ has virgin/hooker fetish?" Mary gaped.

"Oh yeah," Dean said unabashedly. "Complete with a Mistress Magda."

 _Well that brings a whole new meaning to 'Who's your daddy?'_ Sam shuddered, "I'd rather not think about it."

"I'm agree with Sam," Cas winced.

"You brought it up," Dean shrugged. "Hey look, that's the aunt from Sabrina!" he exclaimed pointing at the actress who was playing the wife of the victim.

"You would know wouldn't you? God isn't the only one with a few festishes," Sam grumbled. TV!Dean meanwhile asked the wife about the home and began investigating the upstairs for signs of the supernatural ( **A/N: wink, wink** ) and TV!Sam spoke to the son, Max. At the motel, TV!Dean and TV!Sam were discussing the case when TV!Sam had another premonition, this time awake, of the victim's brother being decapitated by his window. They go to save him and Sam is terrified of what's happening to him but TV!Dean reassures him that everything is fine.

"Tell the truth," Sam looked to his brother. "How bothered were you?"

"Approximately ten seconds away from calling up Bobby and pulling an exorcism on your ass," Dean admitted.

The TV!Winchesters were too late to save the brother and after a conversation with Max, they dig into the family history. A former neighbour tells them about how Max was severely abused by his father and uncle while the step-mother did nothing to help. Even when the cops were called, nothing changed. Suddenly TV!Sam gets another vision, this one has Max confronting his step mother about the abuse and telekinetically using a knife to stab her in the head.

 _This is making me itch for another hunt._ "Don't you dare," Sam warned lowly. _I know, I know. How reckless do you think I am?_ "I'm not going to answer that." _Fair enough._

In the show, TV!Sam and TV!Dean argued about the best way to deal with Max. TV!Sam wants to talk to him while TV!Dean is intent on killing him. In the end, the elder Winchester agrees to give Max a chance but brings a gun anyway.

"I don't know how to feel," Mary hugged herself.

"Neither did we," Sam said.

Onscreen, the TV!Winchesters were able to show up on time but before they could get Max outside, he spots the gun and turns on them. TV!Sam explains how he'd been having visions of Max's crimes and convinces Max to talk alone with him while TV!Dean and the step-mom head upstairs. Sitting down with Max, TV!Sam leans the true extent of the abuse and how it carried on even to the present. He also learnt that Max's birth mother had died in a fire just like Mary.

"I don't understand," Mary frowned. "What's binding you that you're connected psychically It has to be more than a shared experience."

"We'll get there," Sam replied ominously.

In the show, it looked as though TV!Sam had gotten though to Max but the abused man was still angry and out for revenge. He trapped TV!Sam in a closet with a cabinet and went upstairs where TV!Dean and his stepmother were. Max took TV!Dean's gun and told him to step aside but he wouldn't so he shot TV!Dean in the head.

Dean went white and Mary shrieked, "NO!" and covered her face, shaking with sobs.

"Mom it's okay," Sam reassured her. "That didn't actually happen. It was just a vision, look!" Mary raised her eyes to the television where indeed TV!Sam was having another premonition and the image of his brother's corpse was enough to give him the mental strength to push the cabinet away and escape. "I'm sorry," Sam apologized. "I didn't realize they were going to show that."

"Jesus Sam, give us a warning next time," Dean rubbed his forehead as if he could feel the bullet.

Mary waited until TV!Sam showed up to stop Max before taking a deep breath, "I'm fine. I wasn't ready for that." Unfortunately as she said that, Max took his own life and she flinched. "Or that." Sam held his mother as the stepmother covered up Max's death and the TV!Winchesters left.

"That poor woman," Mary moaned. "I know she wasn't a good mother but -"

"I know," Sam rubbed her back."We really were lucky to have dad…all things considered."

"All things considered," Dean echoed himself softly.

"I should hope that you do not still consider yourself responsible for that poor youth's death," Cas said. "But knowing you as I do…"

"I haven't thought about it in a while," Sam answered. "But the doubt is always there."

"It shouldn't be," Dean added stoutly. "You did your best, hell you just watched the replay. There wasn't anymore you could have said."

In the show, TV!Sam admits to having moved the cabinet with his mind but his brother reassures him that everything is fine as long as he was around, he wouldn't let anything happen to him. "I wasn't lying either," Dean interjected. "I still wish I had taken you to Vegas."

Mary let out a sniffling laugh, "You could have bought a lottery ticket."

"Alright Sammy, it's official. You got your brains from mom," Dean thumped his fist on his knee.

The credits rolled at last and everyone was relieved. "That was disturbing," Cas commented.

"And it's about to get worse," Sam grimaced having looked at the DVD case. "The Benders."


	20. Episode 15 - The Benders

Catching Up  
Chapter 18 – The Benders

"Sam and Dean head to Minnesota, where a young boy witnesses a man vanishing into thin air," Mary read. "What are 'benders'? I've never heard of them before."

"Not what, who," Dean said meaningfully.

"You're kidding," Mary's jaw dropped. "Humans? Really?"

"Oh you have no idea," Sam started the show. It opened on a young boy watching TV. The noises from the television were not able to stop the kid from hearing something outside and he goes to the window in time to see a man throw out some garbage before getting pulled under a car. TV!Sam and TV!Dean come to investigate and the boy swears that some kind of monster had taken the man.

"A monster with a whining growl," Mary repeated the child's words dubiously. "And these are people, humans?"

"I've come to learn that humanity is really a malleable concept," Cas shrugged.

As for the show, TV!Sam and TV!Dean were discussing the case at a bar but with little evidence decided to start fresh in the morning. TV!Dean wanted to stay out but TV!Sam was insistent that they head back to their motel. They separate briefly as TV!Sam goes out to the parking lot to wait for his brother when he hears a noise. He decided to look around and is startled by a cat. "Real slick there Clouseau," Dean chuckled.

"Yeah, that was scary," Sam exaggerated his face and voice – Dean got the message and kept his mouth shut.

Momentarily distracted by the brothers, the room hadn't noticed TV!Sam's disappearance but the change in music and TV!Dean's calls for him caught their attention. "Sam was snatched?" Mary halfway got up from her seat, TV!Dean was at the police station. "How?"

"I wasn't ready for it," Sam shook his head. "There I was, just standing by the car when something hooked my ankles and pulled me down. Before I could make a sound, they knocked me out and I woke up in a cage. And dude you went to the cops?"

"Didn't have a choice, it's not like I could hack traffic cams back then," Dean sighed. "I sure as hell couldn't track you on my own. Case in point," he nodded to the screen where the younger Winchester had woken up to find himself trapped in a cage with the other kidnapping victim. TV!Dean and the police officer from the station, Kathleen, catch a break when a vehicle is spotted on the traffic cam and TV!Dean comes to realise that they are dealing with people.

"Not too many cases where the monsters are human," Dean rubbed his eyes. "Thank God for that."

 _That happens to be my specialty._ "I don't know how you do it," Sam watched himself struggle to get out his cage and his talk with Jenkins the other prisoner.

"It may be strange to you but 'hunting' humans are what angels have done for centuries," Cas said and Sam jolted.

"What?!"

"I was merely commenting that just like how hunters such as yourselves must destroy the supernatural that harms humanity, angels were tasked with removing those that have caused evil, both man and creature. We have become less involved over time but it is a burden that we must still shoulder when called upon."

Meanwhile TV!Dean and Kathleen are searching along the roads for where Sam may have been taken and Kathleen finds out Dean lied about being a cop. "And this is where it all goes to hell," Sam announced.

"Dean remains the only man I know who could lie so spectacularly horribly," Cas sighed dismally.

"Seriously? 'I lost weight and I got that Michael Jackson skin disease'?" Sam hid his face. "I'm embarrassed to be your brother right now."

"Well how would you explain not being a more rotund, African American smartass?"

"Say that had to be an error, tell her the badge got recycled. Something other than Michael Jackson skin disease," Sam grimaced as the other captive, Jenkins, is inexplicably released and tries to escape. He put up a good effort but the kidnappers attack him from all sides, toying with him before ultimately killing him. Elsewhere, Kathleen opened up to TV!Dean about her brother going missing but then cuffs him to her police cruiser when they got to the house.

"I like her," Mary pronounced. "Not a smart move going it alone, all things considered, but she's not like the usual dumbass cops hunters have to put up with."

Onscreen, Kathleen meets a young girl Missy and is ambushed by what appears to be the patriarch of the twisted family while TV!Dean is still stuck. He manages to escape before the brothers arrive to hide the cruiser and Kathleen is now in the other cage with TV!Sam. TV!Dean arrives but he can't free them without a key so he goes off searching, coming across photos of all the victims and the brothers posing with them like hunting trophies. "People are f**** crazy," Mary concurred.

"I didn't say it quite like that but yeah," Dean nodded in awe. As this was going om, TV!Dean continued to search for the keys in the house which seemed to be more of a haunted carnival attraction rather than someone's home. He'd just found them but got distracted by a jar of teeth allowing the girl to sneak up behind him. He tried to get out but Missy alerted her family and TV!Dean is caught.

"Okay what in the actual hell was that?" Sam stared at his brother gobsmacked. "You let the little girl AND the old man get the jump on you?"

"Not one of my finer moments, but hell it was four on one. Those are long odds at the best of time," Dean shrugged.

"You did great," Mary assured him. "Anyone would get sidetracked by a mason jar of teeth." In the show, the family had TV!Dean tied up and he discovered that they enjoyed hunting humans, a long standing family tradition.

"The way he speaks of hunting and family," Cas observed. "It's like an awful parody of you."

"Stop right there," Dean warned. "Maybe they are family but they are absolutely NOT hunters, not like us or anyone else. They are monsters and one good thing about going to Hell, I know exactly what they got and they deserve it."

"You went where?!" Mary exclaimed.

"Oh boy, that's going to be a long discussion," Sam rubbed the ridge of his brow. "But hey look we're winning." He added in a pathetic attempt to their attention back to show. It worked mostly but Mary kept her eye on her eldest, clearly set on getting answers. TV!Dean was forced to choose his brother in the hope that they would let him go when really all the father was going to do was kill them. TV!Sam overpowered the first brother and with Kathleen took out the both. The cop elected to keep an eye on the father while the younger Winchester went looking for TV!Dean. That ended up being short-lived as she killed him within moments out of hatred and anger over her brother and allowed TV!Sam and TV!Dean to walk free, literally making them walk to back to town.

"She was a good person," Dean smiled a bit. "Kind of like Jody."

"Who's Jody?" Mary asked.

"A friend of ours, she's a sheriff out in Sioux Falls," Sam told her. "We'll introduce you sometime."

"I'd like that," Mary smiled but dropped it quickly. "Now about Hell -"

"Oh hey look the next episode is ready to go," Dean all but snatched the case. "Shadow. Great, good times."


	21. Episode 16 - Shadow

Catching Up  
Chapter 19 – Shadow

Dean read the show's description in a way too cheerful voice, "While investigating a mysterious death in Chicago, Sam and Dean run into Meg, who is thrilled to see Sam again."

All the while he refused to make eye contact with Mary who lifted a brow, "Alright Dean, we'll talk at dinner." Dean gulped and said nothing. Inside, Mary's gut churned at the thought of her son being in Hell and she couldn't help blaming herself for bringing this into their lives. Sam and Dean on the other hand were trying to figure out a way to tell Cas that Meg had died. They knew they really should have told him from the get-go and breaking the news now was sure to cause all kinds of problems. In the meantime, they tried to focus on the show's opening. A young woman was walking when her music cut out and she is chased by the shadow (roll credits) of something. She runs to her apartment and makes it in, turning on her house alarm and locking the door. Unfortunately, the shadow followed her and kills her instantly.

"Now that is a new one for me," Mary frowned. "Demon?"

"Yes and no," Sam tilted his hand side to side. "This is one those you have to watch to understand."

"What is 'Our Town'?" Cas asked in response to TV!Dean's complaint about having to dress up for the investigation.

"It's a play," Dean explained. "Kind of depressing, about the lives and deaths of these townspeople. Sammy here was…oh come on…" Dean snapped his fingers to try to remember, "What was the milkman's name?"

"Howie Newsome," Sam filled in dryly.

"That's the one," Dean grinned. "You would not believe the outfit they stuck him in. Boy I wish we had a camera back in those days."

 _Perhaps I can oblige, recreate the magic. Besides, I've always had a thing for milkmen._ "Let's just get back the show," Sam said extremely pointedly. _Spoilsport._

Onscreen, the TV!Winchesters met with the victim's landlady to learn more about the murder. She insisted everything was perfect, only that the young girl had been killed where she stood. TV!Dean had spoken to an officer who had revealed to him that the victim's heart was missing but it couldn't be a werewolf or any physical creature given the lack of evidence. TV!Dean finds a symbol in the blood on the ground but TV!Sam can't find anything related to it and there was no suspicious signs leading up to the girl's death or to the man who died before her. "I feel like I should know this," Mary pursed her lips to the side.

"Thought you said this was a new one for you," Dean said.

"Not hunt-wise, the lore, that symbol," Mary tapped her head.

"It will come to you," Dean shrugged. "For now, let's just watch Sam make puppy dog eyes at a demon."

"I didn't know that at the time," Sam protested. "You're just mad she bit your head off the first time you met."

"That was in line with Meg's attitude," Cas said. "But she's different now."

 _Oh man, he's remembering her taking care of him in the asylum. Now even I feel bad for the guy._ "Perfect," Sam's jaw clenched. In the show, TV!Sam is suspicious of seeing Meg again and send TV!Dean to do research while he keeps on her. Meg's identity ends up checking out but TV!Dean is able find out that the symbol is a sign for a deva, demonic entity that have to be summoned and controlled at great risk.

"That's it," Mary clapped. "My father thought he'd come across a deva once, turned out to be an extremely powerful poltergeist but I helped do the research."

"Seriously mom, these would have made kick-ass bedtime stories," Dean threw out there. Meanwhile, TV!Sam was watching Meg get changed and got called a pervert by a passerby causing to Dean to cackle. "Left that out of the story baby brother."

 _Sammy hasn't anyone told you that's impolite?_ "Can it," Sam shot back acidly. "As you can see, I wasn't trying to get laid and I was right to follow her." Onscreen, TV!Sam tailed Meg to an abandoned warehouse where she has an alter set up and that familiar, to them, silver bowl with which she was speaking to someone who is apparently on their way. TV!Dean for his part discovers the victims were both born in Lawrence and they decide to call in John for back up.

 _Danger, Will Robinson, DANGER!_ "Yeah thanks," Sam rolled his eyes.

In the show, TV!Dean and TV!Sam discuss life after the hunt and the elder Winchester's wish for them to be the way they used to be. "We honestly thought it would be over after killing that damn demon," Dean took a long swig of beer.

"I'm just impressed that both of us at least thought that we had something to go back to," Sam snorted softly. Mary listened to them with overwhelming guilt and shame and heartbreak. Sam used to believe in so much and all Dean wanted was to have his family back.

She bowed her head, "I'm so sorry boys."

"We survived," Sam told her gently.

"Yeah," Dean concurred. "One hel – heck of a ride though."

The TV!Winchesters follow Meg back to the building but Meg gets the upper hand and has the deva knock them out. Meg reveals that this was really a trap for John and she's knows he's in town. She provokes Sam about their mother and Jess before trying to come on to him right in front of TV!Dean.

 _You sure know how to pick 'em kiddo._ "Are you really going to question my decisions?" _Perhaps not._

TV!Sam is able to break free and destroys the alter causing the devas to attack Meg instead, sending her out the window. "Well that plan flew out the window," Dean imitated a horrible Austrian accent.

"I swear to Chuck if you start with those stupid Arnie one-liners, I will off you myself," Sam swore.

"The moment was begging for it, anyway we got company." He jerked chin towards the screen as the boys found John in their hotel room. The family share a moment and TV!Sam and John make amends, Mary felt genuine warmth that at least something good came of this but that was before a deva attacked and it is revealed that Meg is still alive.

"We cannot catch a break," Sam said heavily.

"Especially not back then," Dean added. The TV!Winchesters manage to escape but Dean convinces them that they have to split up. They go their separate ways but Meg is still on them.

"Meg was a formidable opponent," Cas commented. "We should probably consider it fortunate that circumstance made her an ally."

Dean cleared his throat, "Yeah, tough as nails that one."

"That was the best you could come up with," Sam whispered.

"Until we figure a way to tell the truth, yes," Dean retorted. He turned to Cas, "Here buddy, you get the next episode going." He tossed the angel the remote and the DVD case.


	22. Episode 17 - Hell House

Catching Up  
Chapter 20 – Hell House

"Alright," Cas skimmed through the episode list to find their place. "Episode 17, Hell House. Sam and Dean investigate a house haunted by the ghost of a man who killed his six daughters during the 1930's."

"Oh I remember this one," Dean grinned. "Do you Sam?"

"Who can forget the debut of the Ghostfacers Dean?" Sam chuckled. "They're legends, celebrities."

"The – who?" Mary asked.

"You'll see," her sons chorused.

Cas pressed play and the show began with four teens wandering through the woods at night. "So we got the 'let's go look' guy, the 'l don't believe so I'll be the first one to get scared' guy, the dumb one, and the 'I don't want to be here' chick." Dean bobbed his head. "Horror movie perfection."

"Seems like a pretty cut and dry haunting though," Mary commented. "Shouldn't give you boys too much trouble."

"You would hope so wouldn't you?" Sam asked rhetorically.

In the show, TV!Dean messes with his brother and they decide to call another prank war. "Still got that picture," Dean beamed. "Best thing ever."

"How even -" Sam began but stopped himself. "Nevermind. It's like that trenchcoat all over again," he mumbled to himself. _What?_ "Long ass story."

"Hey Sammy, ever check those paranormal websites again?" Dean asked as their television counterparts go over the case and how TV!Sam came to find it.

"Now and again, if I'm desperate," Sam admitted. "Anything promising I normally run through a search but its usually a dead end."

TV!Sam and TV!Dean try to talk to the teens that found the dead body and all of them have different accounts of the events. However all of them point to Craig who gives them the legend about Mordecai Murdoch. The TV!Winchesters then go to the house themselves to look around. "Wait for it," Dean grinned. "Wait..for..it…"

Onscreen, TV!Dean and TV!Sam run into two guys that claim to be professional paranormal investigators who also run the website TV!Sam used. "Meet the Ghostfacers, Harry and Ed."

"Oh boy, here come the wannabes," Mary snorted. "In my time, they screwed around with so-called psychics and mediums. I won't lie to you boys, it was their disappearances that often brought our attention to cases."

"That's grim," Cas said. "At least they did not die in vain."

"We didn't have the internet," Mary reminded them. "It was all newspapers and radio bulletins in those days. Television helped a bit when it came along but major news stations weren't about to report about haunted buildings or strange creatures unless it was a slow day or there was some evidence to back it up. Lots of room for the idiots to pop in."

"So these men are imbeciles," Cas said referring to the ghost hunters.

"Well meaning imbeciles," Dean amended. "but yes."

"This case doesn't make sense," Mary was half-listening to them and half to the show where TV!Sam says that there isn't any history to back up the lore and TV!Dean said there were no missing persons matching the victim. "What could it be?"

"Yep, definitely not cut and dry," Sam clicked his mouth.

"I never kicked the crap out of you for messing with baby." Dean shot Sam a look as TV!Sam had turned up the volume to scare his brother.

"Should we be keeping score at this point?" Cas asked.

"Nah, the amount kickings we probably owe each other is off the charts," Sam laughed.

"Ain't that the truth," Dean agreed. Onscreen, another group teens dare their friend to go into the house where she meets Mordecai and he hangs her from the rafters as per the legend. This convinces the TV!Winchesters to stay but now the police are guarding the house. Thankfully the Ghostfacers showed up and TV!Dean uses them as the distraction they need to get inside. Once there, they look around and thought something was hiding in a cabinet but it only had rats inside.

"Should have been a cat."

"Shut up."

Unfortunately for the TV!Winchesters Mordecai showed up immediately after that and was immune to all their usual methods of defence. Outside, the Ghostfacers were about to come in but TV!Sam and TV!Dean burst out giving them a glimpse of the spirit.

"That is not a spirit," Cas squinted.

"How can you tell?" Dean asked.

"Too solid for a spectre of any kind," Cas explained. "It can dissipate yes but when it reforms, it doesn't have the same matter, substance, of ghosts."

"Christ Cas, where have you been our whole lives?" Dean grumbled.

 _AAAAAAT LAAAAAAAASSSSSTTT MY LOOOOVVEE_ Sam literally had to stuff a hand in his mouth to kept from laughing.

Back at their motel, TV!Sam and TV!Dean are puzzled by the inconsistencies and strange behaviour of their ghost. TV!Sam pulls up the website and sees that someone had amended the legend and it fit what they saw at the house. TV!Dean had a breakthrough of his own; he'd been certain that he recognized one of the symbols inside the house and suddenly remembered where he had seen it. It was a band logo so they went back to see Craig at the record store where he worked and confronted him about what really happened at the house. Craig revealed that he and his cousin concocted the story and covered the house in symbols as a prank only the legend grew especially since it went up on the website.

"That doesn't explain Mordecai," Mary frowned.

"It will," Sam promised, slightly hoarse from the strain of not laughing.

Onscreen, TV!Dean sprinkles something into his brother's clothes while he's in the shower while considering the idea it might be a tolpa, a Tibetan thought form. TV!Sam comes out of the bathroom but doesn't see what TV!Dean had done and goes to put on his clothes. _Woo a girl can get used to that view_ "Well you're not a girl so eyes front soldier." _Believe me, they are._

In the show, TV!Sam goes into further detail about his Tolpa theory and the sigil that was used out of Craig's cousin's theology textbook that could explain how it was created courtesy of all the people who were thinking about Mordecai especially since the Ghostfacers now had footage of the spirit.

"Interesting," Mary leaned forward. "I've never faced a Tolpa before. Hunting in my time was pretty standard, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, every once in a while you'd get something new."

"Sam appears to be in distress," Cas noted. "Is he being attacked?"

"No, my dear brother put itching powder in my pants and underwear of all place," Sam glowered at the elder Winchester who smirked unrepentantly. "You really are a jerk."

"Oh yeah," Dean winked.

Onscreen, the TV!Winchesters pay a visit to Harry and Ed and con them into believing that Mordecai could be a specific type of bullet so that they would add it to their website and hopefully change the myth. The first part of their plan and the Ghostfacers add the change to their website and now they had to wait for it to take effect, opting for nightfall before trying to go after it. Thankfully TV!Dean had a beer bottle superglued to his hand in the meantime. "Now that is classic," Mary chuckled.

"Thanks mom," Dean griped.

 _You stole a wall pirate?_ "Yeah but we knew it was wrong so we gave it to the authorities," Sam quipped. _I'm not sure whether to be proud or embarrassed._ In the show, thanks to the pilfering of said pirate and using it to lure the cops away, TV!Sam and TV!Dean snuck back into the house only to find Ed and Harry there as well. Mordecai appears but the bullets take no effect since the website crashed before the myth could change. TV!Dean decides to improvise so since Mordecai can't leave the house, he burns it down and hopes the legend doesn't change again.

"The myth didn't change," Dean snorted. "Mordecai died down and people moved on to the next big monster."

"Such is life," Mary shrugged. "And the ghostfacers?"

Dean merely pointed to the television where Ed and Harry were bragging about being called to Hollywood only to find out that TV!Sam had been the one who called them. "That was cruel Sam," Mary laughed against her will.

"I should think Dean placing a fish in their car would be more cruel," Cas added.

"Hey we called a truce…afterwards…for a little while," Dean tried to defend them.

Mary's eyes might have rolled out of her head if they could, "What's the next episode?"

Cas retrieved the case, "Something Wicked This Way Comes."


	23. Episode 18 - Something Wicked

Catching Up  
Chapter 21 – Something Wicked This Way Comes

"Well that's a title," Sam remarked. "Which case are they talking about?"

Cas read out the description, "Sam and Dean investigate a small town in Wisconsin where children are falling into comas for no apparent reason."

"Ah crap," Dean got up heavily. "I'm going to need a beer for this one."

"Make it two," Sam said.

"You've been on that same bottle for the last two hours," Dean pointed out.

 _You're welcome by the way._ "I meant for you," Sam countered.

Dean blew out a breath, "Sammy never let it be said that you aren't the brains of this family." He went to the get the drinks and Mary watched him go.

"That bad huh?"

"This is going to be fun for all of us Winchesters," Sam snarked. "We're taking another extended trip down memory lane to our childhoods."

Mary promptly called, "Dean? Make it four!"

"Way ahead of you mom," Dean came back with an entire six-pack. "To family!" he raised a bottle.

"To family," Mary and Sam chorused back and indicated for Cas to start. The show began on a little girl saying her prayers before being tucked by her father while her mother is at the hospital with her sister. The father leaves and it's obvious the little girl is scared of something that is coming in through the window. It attacks her before the show cuts to TV!Sam and TV!Dean coming into town. Apparently, John had sent them coordinates to the place but there was nothing immediately obviously wrong. Once there, TV!Sam noticed the distinct lack of kids and TV!Dean asks a mom who tells him that children are getting sick.

"Hannah?" Cas peered at the women.

"Guess we found her vessel," Dean said dubiously.

The TV!Winchesters go undercover at the hospital to learn more about the kids and TV!Sam isn't thrilled about his ID.

"Bikini inspector?" Mary chuckled.

"I still have it…for some reason," Sam shrugged. _The trenchcoat thing?_ "No definitely not."

At the hospital, the TV!Winchesters speak to the lead doctor Hidecker and learn that the cases initially presented as pneumonia but then became much more severe plus the antibiotics weren't helping. Their immune systems just weren't working and their bodies were breaking down. Furthermore a nurse told them that the illness was spreading through families, only the children. TV!Sam and TV!Dean interview the father from earlier and he said he suspected that they got pneumonia from an open window. "That poor man," Mary shook her head. "I don't know what I'd do if something like that was happening to you boys. And don't park the car in front of the house." She tacked on when the show switched to the boys searching the home of the recent victim.

"Yeah from this angle, it looks pretty bad doesn't it?" Sam grimaced.

Onscreen, TV!Sam confirms that there was indeed a monster that was on the window sill and the sight of its handprint triggers a memory TV!Dean on when he was a child. "Here we go," Dean took a long swig of beer.

"That was quick," Mary took one too. They watched John prepare to go out for a hunt and leave young Dean in charge. They go over all the safety measures and precautions and towards the end Mary spluttered out some beer, "Did my child just say 'shoot first, ask questions later'? Cas pause the show." Mary turned to Dean. "When was this?"

"Sam was six and I was about eleven, twelve," Dean answered honestly. "You remember Sam at the beginning? Dad gave him a gun when he thought there were monsters under the bed."

"I guess I didn't think…" Mary tried wrap her head about those words falling so easily from a child, her child's mouth. "And he just left you alone?"

"It's not like we could've gone with him," Sam shrugged.

As much as she wanted to blame John at that second, another fresh wave of guilt and self-disgust rolled through Mary. It all came back to being her fault, if only there was a way to make it up to her boys. "Keep going Cas."

Cas restarted the show and TV!Dean tells his brother about the case but some of the details didn't add up and TV!Dean was being somewhat evasive. They pull into a motel and meet the motel's owner and her son who sasses TV!Dean. _I like him._ "You would." Unfortunately seeing the boy and his brother causes TV!Dean to have another flashback to when he had to look after young Sam and they argued about dinner. "Jesus I was a brat," Sam half-laughed.

"As long as you know," Dean snorted. "You weren't so bad most of the time. You got real annoying around puberty though."

"At least I shared the prize," Sam muttered.

In the show, in their room, the TV!Winchesters discuss stregas and how to kill them with TV!Dean revealing more information much to TV!Sam's suspicion. Nevertheless they pinpoint the hospital as the epicentre for the attacks and TV!Dean remembers seeing an old woman with an inverted cross of her wall. Thinking she may be the Strega, they go after her but she was just a regular person. "Slick," Mary cracked.

"Okay so not one of my finer moments," Dean admitted.

Meanwhile, the Strega was seen going after the motel owner's kids and the next day, the boy, Michael, tells the brothers that his little brother was now sick. TV!Dean consoles the family and accompanies the mother to the hospital as TV!Sam goes to research. There he discovers a picture of Dr. Hidecker from 1800's and they realise he is the Strega. Surprisingly, TV!Dean manages to keep his composure when he speaks to Hidecker afterwards but admits later he would have loved to unload a clip into the doctor if for nothing else than principle alone. TV!Sam congratulates on him being wise in his old age until TV!Dean proposes to use Michael as bait to catch the Strega. "And it was at that moment I knew never to speak too soon with Dean Winchester," Sam toasted.

"It was the only option in front of us and…and…you suck," Dean tacked on petulantly.

"Now, now boys, I don't want to start giving timeouts," Mary wise-cracked.

"It would not work," Cas informed her.

"Fair enough," Mary conceded. The room returned their attention to show in time to see TV!Dean finally give in and reveal what really happened with the Strega the last time the family faced. The real life Winchesters simultaneously took a long draught of beer as the flashback started and showed young Dean leaving the motel room while Sam was asleep. He played an arcade for what appeared to be a while and when he returned he found the creature attacking Sam but wasn't able to shoot it. Thankfully John arrived in time to scare it off but he was upset at Dean for what happened. "Don't talk to him like that." Mary growled, startling her boys but she was too immersed. "He's too young, it isn't his fault."

The flashback faded but TV!Dean kept talking. Explaining how John got them out of town and the Strega disappearing until surfacing then. He also spoke about how John's attitude changed towards him and that giving them the coordinates was his way of letting TV!Dean finish his fight. Mary for one, though she was certainly not the only one, could think of many things wrong with that but one look at Dean's face told the room not to comment on it. TV!Sam was still unsure but it's the only way to catch the monster so they talk to Michael about it. At first he is resistant but eventually agrees if it might save his brother. "What a brave young man," Cas praised.

"The stuff of true grit," Mary added. "That's what my father would say. I just wish that little boy didn't have to be a part of this."

"Trust me, we didn't like it either," Sam assured her.

In the show, Michael and the TV!Winchesters set the trap and wait for the Strega to come. The monster does eventually show up and the brothers get ready to attack but they have to wait for it to get close enough to feed. Once it does, the TV!Winchesters ambush it but it survives and attacks. It goes after TV!Sam first and is about feed on him when TV!Dean shoots it, killing the creature. The next day, they find out all the kids are getting better and Hidecker is 'sick' although TV!Sam wishes he could have that innocence that they took from Michael. _Way to bring down the mood Sammy._ "We all wish for that innocence," Sam replied. "But none of us would actually take it."

"Amen little brother," Dean finished his beer as the credits rolled. "Now please tell there is some food somewhere because I need a break."

"Me too," Mary got out instantly. "I'll be in the garage, I need some air."

"Mind some company?" Dean asked.

"Not at all," Mary gestured for him to come along.

"I guess we're on kitchen duty Cas," Sam said. "Let's go find something to eat."

"Right behind you Sam." They all left the study together, eager to put that still-on television behind them for the moment.


	24. The Winchester Way

Catching Up  
Chapter 22 – The Winchester Way

Dean had to work to keep up with Mary's as they went into the garage. Mary didn't look back, didn't speak once until they were there and she finally relaxed against baby's hood even then all she did was slump over and sigh. "Mom," Dean sat next to her.

"He shouldn't have," she mumbled.

"Have what?"

"Looked at you different," Mary raised her head. "None of that was your fault. None of it. John was careless, more careless than I would have ever thought of him. My John," Mary pounded a fist into her hand. "The same one that used to plan everything out meticulously, didn't have the sense to leave you somewhere else. You have a nigh-invincible monster attacking children and he leaves you alone for days on end and then gets angry when you leave for a bit and can't shoot at the age of twelve."

"I'm not sure what to say to you," Dean shrugged. "That's how it was."

"Do you know that I made a demon deal to save your father's life?" Mary told him. "And what was it worth? In the end? The two things I didn't want the most happened away. John is gone and you boys became hunters."

"I know about the deal and I also know you didn't have much of a choice that night," Dean comforted her.

"I don't regret it, you boys are here because I did but I can't help but wonder what would have happened if I hadn't," she mused. "What might have become of me? Of this world if the show is anything to go by?"

"Well I happen to know that an apple pie life for us with you alive and no hunting would have cost a lot of people their lives," Dean said. "A Djinn let me in on that one. As for you never making that deal… mom, the world kind of needs us."

"I'm starting to get that impression," Mary laughed. "I am proud of you boys, I'm just pissed at John right now."

"Don't be," Dean insisted. "We had some good times, it wasn't all bad days. We were dealt a crappy hand but we make it work."

"Don't worry, this is temporary, I'll go back to my guilt-ridden angst soon," Mary assured him ruefully.

"Now that is the Winchester way," Dean side-hugged her. Mary relaxed into her son's embrace, she'd ask about Hell later.

*CU*

In the kitchen, Sam and Cas were working in amiable silence to prepare the evening meal. Even the voice seemed to be taking it easy, humming something that sounded strangely like 'Stand By Me'. Sam was amused but actually quite content. The peaceful atmosphere helped greatly to ease his mind from the whirlwind of emotions he'd just relived. "Sam," Cas's voice had this uncanny ability to not break any silence but meld with it so it didn't feel like a disruption. "May I ask a personal query?"

"Sure Cas," Sam invited.

"I do not mean to cast aspersions or accuse you of anything but I cannot rid myself of the impression that you are not being totally honest about what happened in London. Something is different about you Sam," the angel turned to scrutinize him. "You've not been yourself and even though my Grace is diminished, I can tell something has left an intangible impression upon you."

 _Not yet Sam._ "Cas buddy, it's not like that," Sam tried to formulate something quick. "With everything we've been through over the last few days, it's been a lot to process. There's so much going on in my head." _*snort*_ Sam concluded, "All I need is some time and everything will be better, I promise." _Really?_

"Alright," Cas acquiesced. "I am concerned about you, you are a dear friend of mine. Something I don't believe I've acknowledged enough."

"Profound bond with my brother notwithstanding," Sam remarked.

Cas smiled, "Yes well as Beyoncé has taught us, 'if he liked it then he should have put a ring on it'."

Sam immediately burst laughter only made worse by the voice in his head chiming in with – _Is anyone else imagining him in a leotard doing the choreography?_

"What's so funny?" Dean chose that opportune to appear and both Sam and Cas had a good chuckle. "Let me in on the joke," Dean whined.

 _Don't pay him any attention,_ the voice sang. Sam pinched the bridge of his nose, the smile not leaving his face. "Let's just eat."

 **A/N: Hey guys, YAY SASTIEL FRIENDSHIP! I just warms my heart to have Sam and Cas be friends. Trenchcoat jokes aside, I completely have not decided whether Destiel will be making an appearance but if it is, I want this to be in character as much as possible so be prepared for a slow burn but I will make it worth your while. ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **


	25. Episode 19 - Provenance

Catching Up  
Chapter 23 – Provenance

"Provenance," Sam read out but slowly lost volume as he went on. "A young husband and wife are killed in their home shortly after buying an antique painting of a family portrait frim around 1910…oh."

"I'm really hating the tail end of this season," Dean groaned. "Dredging up all kinds of crap."

"Another bad case?" Mary inferred.

"No this one's a slow burner," Sam's face became pinched. "The real crap won't happen for a while, this is just the groundwork."

"Fantastic," Mary mirrored Sam.

"Let's get this over with," Sam hit play and the show opened on an old family portrait that a couple bought from a charity auction. They decide to go to bed when the portrait visibly comes alive with the older man's face moving as if to follow the woman going upstairs. The husband doesn't notice as he locks all the doors but the next shot of the painting shows a razor blade that had been on the table was now missing. Something entered the bedroom and when the husband goes upstairs, he finds that his wife's throat was slashed before the scene cuts.

"Malignant spirit trapped in a painting," Mary sipped her tea. "I will say this, you boys certainly get the stranger side of cases."

"Our friends include a rebel angel, a werewolf, god, and I guess God's sister since she resurrected you," Sam reminded her. "We manage to get the strangest side of everything."

In the show, TV!Sam reads the paper with a headline indicating that both the husband and the wife had been murdered that night while TV!Dean is seen picking up a girl at a bar. _Reality TV talent scouts? Junior league at its finest, try doctors next time._ "I'll bear that in mind," Sam said dubiously. _Pun intended?_ "Apparently."

Onscreen, TV!Sam reviews John's journal and makes the connection between the murders and ones that had happened years ago. They decide to investigate in the morning, leaving TV!Dean with plenty of time to pursue other ventures. The following morning, TV!Sam scopes the house and doesn't find anything including any of the couple's things because they had put up for auction at an estate sale. The curator doesn't take too kindly to the brothers being there but they still have a chance to look around and spot the painting. That's when they met Sarah Blake and the brothers in real life squirm in their seats uncomfortably. "Goddammit," Mary shook her head, watching TV!Sam and Sarah's interaction.

"What?" Cas turned to her.

She looked at her sons, "I don't need to ask."

Unfortunately, the curator, Sarah's father, kicks them out of the estate sale before they can get any information. The brothers go to their motel and their room is entirely 70's retro themed. "What the hell?" Mary was startled into laughing.

"I have no knowledge of interior design but I find that to be quite unsightly," Cas squinted.

"Who the hell designed that thing?" Dean snorted. "John Travolta?"

 _Oh hey, I'd forgotten about that._ "That was you?!" Sam's eyes bugged out. "Were you following us this whole time?" _Heck no. I hopped back in time and fixed it up for you. You can't see it?_ "Oh I saw it, I just can't un-see it." _Uncultured swine._ Back in the show, TV!Sam goes out to dinner with Sarah to hopefully get some information on the estate and the pair quickly bond. _Reasonably attractive? I concur._ "Gee thanks. I thought I was a swine." _Pigs can be cute, like Porky._ "Spectacular," Sam deadpanned.

Back in the motel, Sarah gave TV!Sam the documents he was looking for and the make the connection between the painting and the past victims. The brothers immediately go after the painting and break in to the warehouse where it was kept. "This music is awesome," Dean bobbed his head to the electric guitar.

"I'll give the show credit, they have excellent musical taste," Mary agreed.

The TV!Winchesters attempt to burn the painting but it just comes back as if nothing had ever happened to it. The next day, TV!Dean claims to have lost his wallet at the warehouse only to find out that it was ruse to get TV!Sam to see Sarah. "Well played," Mary congratulated him. "Your acting is improving."

"Thanks mom," Dean said smugly.

At the same time, TV!Sam discovers that the painting is intact but thankfully Sarah is unwilling to the sell the painting so soon after the couple's death. TV!Sam encourages to not sell it and the TV!Winchesters do some digging and find out that the father in the portrait murdered his entire family when he thought that his wife was about to leave them. At the same time, Sarah's father sells the painting while TV!Sam picks up on the painting moving. The brothers talk about Sarah and TV!Dean tries to convince TV!Sam to start going out but he doesn't want to. "I get it now little brother," Dean said heavily.

"Doesn't stop you," Sam returned.

"What can I say? I practice what I preach," Dean winked.

"Whatever," Sam rolled his eyes. His television self still had to call Sarah about the painting and that's how they learnt it had been sold and who it went to. They rush over, Sarah joins them, but they are too late to save the owner, Evelynn whose throat was deeply slashed. The next day, Sarah covers for them with the cops and demands to know what is going on. TV!Sam comes clean her and she insists on coming with them. They check out the painting and discover the razor blade moved as well as another picture depicts a mausoleum. The group manage to find it and notice that the father isn't buried with the rest of his family. "I always found mausoleums to be convenient like that," Mary shrugged. "Like one stop shopping for all your deceased remains needs. All of the bones, none of the digging."

 _Sam I'm begging ya, just two minutes in your mom's –_ "NO!"

Meanwhile, as TV!Dean hunts for more information on the father, TV!Sam and Sarah share a sweet moment outside. _Awwwww #PuppySam_ "Shut up," Sam whispered brokenly. Tears welled in his eyes as he listened to Sarah talk about life and death and moving on. It was almost as if Sarah was sitting in front of him again, reminding him of her words. The speech also had an effect on Dean who recalled Lisa so vividly in that moment that it caused an ache in his chest like none other but he welcomed it, didn't try to block out the pain, just this once. But of course TV!Dean broke up the moment and informed the pair that the father was buried separately from the family and wasn't cremated like the rest of them. They go that night to burn the bones. "God I hated digging graves," Mary grimaced. "I'm not sure which is worse, that or the cops."

"Graves can't screw up a case," Dean pointed out.

"And that decides it, by a narrow margin."

 _Uncomfortably comfortable with this,_ the voice quoted Sarah. _Now that's a motto_ "There are a lot of things I'm uncomfortably comfortable with including you." _As long as you're comfortable._

After burning the body, TV!Sam, TV!Dean, and Sarah go back to destroy the painting as well. TV!Sam and Sarah go in alone to take care and they notice that the little girl was gone and so was the razor. They end up trapped in the house with the spirit with TV!Dean on the outside, trying to get in. They have to use their cellphones to communicate and Sarah tells them that antique dolls used to incorporate hair from the deceased children. There was one at the mausoleum and TV!Dean races off to destroy it leaving TV!Sam and Sarah to fend off the ghost. It was a tense few moments until TV!Dean tried to use his gun to bash the mausoleum's glasscase rather than shooting it causing everyone to laugh. "That is invaluable," Cas chuckled.

"The word is priceless Cas," Dean corrected him.

"There is a difference?"

The family settled and watched as the spirit is returned to the painting and Sarah has it permanently destroyed. She and TV!Sam say their goodbyes and it looks like they've parted ways only for TV!Sam to return and kiss her much to TV!Dean pride and the room's amusement. _SQQUEEEEEEEESEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE They're kissing! Sammy kissed her!_ "Really? You're okay with this?" _This is nothing, my history might give you grey hairs._ "Good to know." Sam reached for the DVD, "Ready for the next one?" he asked the room at large. "Dead Man's Blood is next and that's puts us into the home stretch."

"Dude I have to tap," Dean yawned. "We can watch it in the morning when I'm less beat."

"Well look who's getting tired in their old age," Mary said smugly.

"With all those beers he's been consuming, I am not surprised," Cas stated.

"I guess we can start fresh tomorrow," Sam perused the DVDs. "From the look of things, season one rolls into season two story wise so we might as well finish the rest tomorrow."

"Alright then," Mary switched off the TV. "Let's get some sleep."


	26. Episode 20 - Dead Man's Blood

Catching Up  
Chapter 24 – Dead Man's Blood

It wasn't the easiest time for the Winchester clan to get some rest but they managed it and were able to get up the next morning with some level of energy, not much but that was what coffee was there for. Cas, bless his wings, had it ready and waiting for them the moment they walked in the kitchen. "Good morning," he greeted. "I've prepared the coffee but I would not hazard attempting anything else."

"That's fine Castiel thank you," Mary smiled and sipped hers. "I'll throw something together. We can eat and watch the show."

"This should be a joy," Dean mused.

"For better and definitely for worse, that was our last hunt with dad," Sam swirled his cup.

Mary froze, "John dies?"

"Way to spoil it for her Sammy," Dean remarked.

"If it bears any comfort Mary," Cas put in. "Winchesters have an uncanny ability to defy death. He does come back, if only temporarily."

"That does make me feel better, thanks Castiel," Mary said gratefully before turning to her boys. "Should I have been comforted by that?"

"Don't question these things," Dean advised her.

"Let's just get breakfast and start the show shall we?" Sam proposed and they agreed. A while later, bearing plates of eggs, bacon and toast, they all sat down in the study to begin the next episode. "Cas will you do the honours?"

"Gladly," Cas got the remote and DVD case. "The next episode is Dead Man's Blood. After a vampire hunter who was John's mentor is murdered, Sam and Dean are surprised when John himself shows up to solve the case." He started the show and they went through a new beginning montage going through the family's turbulent relationship.

"Oh this is going to be fun," Dean stabbed a piece of bacon.

The show began properly with a man named Elkins at a bar, making notes in a journal when a group of people come in. He looked at them weirdly before taking off. "Vamps," Mary said flatly.

"Mhm," Sam hummed. Elkins managed to make home but the vampires were there ahead of him. He then barricades himself in his study and tries to get out an old-fashioned gun however the vampires break in and kill him.

"The Colt?" Cas turned to the brothers.

"THAT was THE Colt," Mary's jaw dropped. "Made by Samuel Colt. The gun that can kill anything. That Colt?"

"Almost anything," Sam corrected her. "But yes."

"Incredible," Mary breathed.

Meanwhile, TV!Sam and TV!Dean were going over potential cases when they came across Elkins' death and TV!Dean recalls that name being in their father's journal. They decide to go check it out and determine that Elkins was indeed a hunter unbeknownst to the fact that they were being watched.

"Well that's not terrifying," Sam said conversationally. _If this little back and forth isn't phasing you, nothing else really should._ "Fair point."

In the show, TV!Dean notices something written on the floor which turned out to be the location of a mailbox with a letter addressed to a J.W. However before they could open it, John appeared and revealed that Elkins had a very important antique gun. Now they needed to find the vamps who'd taken it and get it back. "Gotta say," Dean commented. "It wasn't everyday that you heard the old man say he was wrong."

"How could anyone believe that vampires are extinct?" Mary sighed as John explained vampire lore. "They're not animals, they're people. Even if you killed all the ones currently in existence, there are those who could make people into one with needing a bite or worse yet, people who would turn themselves."

"I didn't know there was a spell to make someone a vampire," Sam said. _Spell_ **s** , _plural form and there's always magic for something. Even for the most ludicrous of things, there's always a way to pull it off._

"Spells Sam, more than one. Never doubt magic," Mary pointed a fork at him. _See mom's on my side._

"Mom you're missing all the Sam and Dad love hour here," Dean said referring TV!Sam and John locking horns over John's treatment of them.

"I'm listening," Mary replied. "You sound remarkably like me Sam and that's the truth. Towards the end or what I thought was the end. I wasn't taking any of my father's orders quietly. It drove him nuts and we fought a lot."

Onscreen, the vampires were seen tormenting a couple they had abducted from the highway when presumably the leader Luthor comes in. He decides to keep the girl but let's his cohorts feed on the man. Luthor isn't thrilled when he finds out that they had killed Elkins and worries about other hunters coming. He notices the Colt and recognizes it as no ordinary gun. At the same time, TV!Sam's loses his patience with John just giving out orders with no explanation and confronts him, the two get physical and TV!Dean has to break them up. _Christ it's like watching a messed up version of All My Children_ "Seen many episodes have you?" _Don't mock my television habits Mr. Gilmore Girls_

Mary had stayed silent throughout the exchange. Sam and John's love/hate relationship was so painfully reminiscent of her own with her father, it broke her heart. She actually wondered whether she was merely watching her story acted out by her son and husband. The John she had known wasn't like that though things weren't always perfect between them. She was also hyperaware that these were John's final moments but remembered from Dean that he died saving him so she had some idea of what to expect. All she could hope for was some resolution between father and sons before it happened. It did spark some hope in her when John finally talked about the Colt and why he wanted it so much but it also depressed her further. John was so hell bent on killing the demon that had killed her that the ramifications were reverberating through the family at all stages. She didn't have long to dwell on it as the TV!Winchesters infiltrated the vampire's nest while they slept.

John went to the Luthor's room in search of the Colt while TV!Sam and TV!Dean tried to help any victims. TV!Sam finds the woman abducted from the highway at the same time John finds the Colt while TV!Dean helps some other hostages that were locked up. However the woman from the highway was turned and she alerted the vamps to their presence but they made their escape.

"That was too close," Dean said.

"Yeah," Mary said softly. The show had cut to TV!Sam and John in their room while TV!Dean was out procuring blood from a funeral home. John talked about opening college funds for both Sam and Dean when they were born. Her eyes brimmed with tears listening to John and everything that happened in the aftermath of her death, everything she had brought on them. The pain, the division. A stray sob escaped her and Sam gently took her hand as did Dean.

"Imagine us in college," Dean commented, his tight voice betraying his emotion.

"I'd rather not imagine you anywhere near a sorority," Sam sniffed.

"I wish you both had a chance to find out." Mary took a breath and tried to reign herself in, "Anyway, good call with the dead man's blood." Onscreen, TV!Dean lured out Luthor's girlfriend and another one, giving TV!Sam and John on opportunity to shoot them with arrows soaked in the blood. "Huh, John looks kinda good with that crossbow," Mary allowed herself a smirk until she caught sight of the horrified looks on her sons faces. "Though it would have been better if you used darts, like tranquilizer darts," she coughed. "More would have gotten into their system and lengthened the blood sickness."

"Mom I'm fully aware of how me and Sammy arrived on this Earth but could we avoid anymore Impala moments," Dean requested in a pained tone.

"Dude bring that up one more time and I'm getting Baby reupholstered," Sam threatened.

"Too expensive."

"Infants," Cas rolled his eyes.

 _Ohhhhhhh Castiel is calling you out!_ Sam bit his tongue and tried to move on as John explained his plan to deal with the vampires and then go after the demon – alone much to TV!Sam's and surprisingly TV!Dean's ire. "Look at big brother standing up to dad."

"Your father didn't expect to live," Cas frowned.

"He wasn't even going to try," Mary shook her head.

In the show, John remained resolute so as per his plan, he took the Luthor's girlfriend to draw them out while the brothers cleared out the nest and freed the hostages. John tried to trade for the gun but the girlfriend got loose and they attacked him. Just when it looked like the vampires would kill John, TV!Sam and TV!Dean arrived to clean house. Luthor caught TV!Sam but John shot him with the Colt. The girlfriend and the newly turned vampire got away but John finally agrees to work with the boys to take down the demon.

"Going straight to the next one," Cas checked and they nodded. "Alright, this episode is entitled Salvation."


	27. Episode 21 - Salvation

Catching Up  
Chapter 25 – Salvation

"After Sam has a vision of a family being attacked, the brothers and their father head to Salvation, Iowa to save the family in Sam's dream," Cas read out as the show began with a new title sequence, recapping the story and all the major points before opening in Blue Earth, Minnesota and Meg entering a church.

"Pastor Jim," Dean breathed.

"God I can't watch this," Sam shut his eyes and turned his head though he could still hear everything. Meg attacked the pastor, demanding information on the Winchesters. Pastor Jim stood his ground and Meg slit his throat.

"Great start," Dean slammed a fist against the chair. "I hope Meg -"

"Dean," Sam said warningly.

"I am sorry but she did atone somewhat -" Cas began but Sam cut him off.

"Cas buddy, let's not talk about Meg right now," Sam asked and Cas bobbed his head in understanding. _You better tell him._ "I will."

Meanwhile, John was explaining to the boys how he had managed to track down the demon including tracking the pattern of it attacking children on their sixth month birthday and the precursor changes in the weather patterns. "That must've taken forever to put together," Mary murmured.

"Dad had the time and the drive," Dean said by way of explanation.

John revealed he'd tracked the next set of signs to Salvation, Iowa and they were en-route when John found out that Pastor Jim had been murdered. The elder Winchester ordered his sons to search all available hospital records for infants that were going to be six months old that week. They split up to canvas the area, each Winchester taking a different medical centre.

"Dean tell me you did not halt or delay your mission to have intercourse with that woman," Cas gave his friend a hard look.

"No, ye of little faith," Dean denied.

"Are you sure?" Sam checked.

"Does no one in this family trust me to keep it in my pants?" Dean questioned.

"Well there was that virgin case," Sam reminded him.

"That doesn't count," Dean insisted.

"Boys something's happening," Mary got their attention. Onscreen, TV!Sam had a vision of a mother in a nursery and he goes off to try and find it.

"Saved us a lot of time there Jennifer Love."

"Glad to be of service," Sam sassed.

The sound of a train led TV!Sam to a neighbourhood where the vision continues with more details. He spots the house and the mother, Monica and learns her daughter Rosie turned six months that day. TV!Sam tries to warn her but can't work up the nerve. The vision starts up again and TV!Sam sees the whole attack including Monica dying just like Mary did.

"It's oddly cold at first," Mary recalled. "Like stone, cool and numb but your brain goes into overdrive and then the fire but it doesn't burn. It's just pain."

"I'm just glad we could do something this time," Sam sighed.

In the show, the brothers discuss the visions with John and John insists that they should have called him. "That's opulent," Cas snorted.

"You mean rich buddy," Dean corrected him.

"It was so weird to see go toe to toe with dad," Sam said in awe. "I thought the world had turned upside down."

Mary chewed the inside of her cheek, "He gets confronted with the fact that he never showed up when his son was dying and all he can say is 'you're right' and comment about your tone. Goddammit John Winchester, you're making it harder and easier to hate myself when you behave like a prick."

"Now the world is turning upside down," Dean pointed at her.

Just then, Meg called TV!Sam and demanded to speak to John. She told him that she murdered Pastor Jim and didn't hesitate to kill their friend Caleb when John pretended not to have the Colt. She threatened to hunt down more of their allies if John didn't hand over the gun.

"And Meg was a _friend_?" Mary clarified.

"She was more Cas's friend," Dean said uncomfortably. "We had a mutually beneficial alliance."

"I still consider her a friend and so should you," Cas added. "She's changed Mary though I must admit I do now understand Sam and Dean's apprehension when working with her."

 _Sweet Jesus, can you just tell him already?!_ "We will." Sam promised. Onscreen, John had no choice but to give in although he planned to give Meg a fake gun so TV!Sam and TV!Dean could use the real one to kill the demon that was coming that night. John finally broke down and admitted he just wanted things to stop. Wanting to stop losing love ones, wanting Sam in school, wanting Dean to have a home.

 **I want Mary alive.**

"I want you alive," Mary whispered fervently.

No one said anything and simply watched as the Winchesters made their preparations. TV!Dean procured a dummy Colt for John and John gave the boys the real one, urging them to finish the job. At the warehouse where he was supposed to meet Meg, John arrived early and scouted the area while TV!Sam and TV!Dean staked out Monica's place. "Longest wait of our lives," Dean noted.

"Well maybe yours," Sam disagreed. "You and Amara took that one for me."

"I'm with Sam," Cas concurred.

Back at the warehouse, John had located the water tank just as Meg arrived. He snuck up to it and used a rosary to bless it thus turning it into holy water. "Oh well played," Mary applauded.

"That is pretty awesome," Dean grinned.

In their car, TV!Sam and TV!Dean are still waiting and TV!Sam tries to say goodbye but his brother shuts him down. At same time, Meg and John meet. Meg has brought back up, forcing John to give her the fake gun. Her accomplice shoots Meg to test it and John manages to put some distance between himself and the two demons. He led them down a passageway where he opened a water main now spewing holy water which allows him to make his escape. _That was effin' awesome._ "That was impressive," Sam nodded.

"Pops was good," Dean praised. The show switched back to Salvation, "Looks like it's our turn now."

The boys were still camped outside Monica's place and they couldn't reach John but activity started to spike giving them the signal to go. At the warehouse, John made it outside but found his tires slashed and he has to regroup. Cut back to TV!Sam and TV!Dean breaking into the house. Monica's husband believes they are intruders and tells his wife to get their baby which leads the woman to enter the nursery where the demon is. Luckily, TV!Sam is there to stop it before it kills Monica and TV!Dean gets the baby before the crib bursts into flames. Another cut takes them back to the warehouse where John is captured by Meg's cohort but the show goes back to Monica's house as burns down. TV!Sam spots the demon still inside but TV!Dean stops his brother from rushing back in and they have to let it get away.

"Geez that was a roller coaster," Dean blew out.

"And it's not over yet," Sam raked his hair. Back at their motel, the brothers argue about finishing the demon and TV!Dean admits killing it is not worth losing his family. They try calling for John and Meg picks up instead, informing that they would never see their father again before the show faded to black with a 'to be continued'.

"They are just going to end it there?!" Mary damn near yelled.

"Start the next episode," Dean mouthed to Cas. "NOW!"


	28. Episode 22 - Devil's Trap

Catching Up  
Chapter 26 – Devil's Trap

 **A/N: Hey guys, THIS IS IT! The very last one…of season one. Depend on how fast you've read these last chapters, the prologue for season two should be up or will be up momentarily. I do have some notes about the coming season in there and I will be diving into the season properly, in the coming week. My goal at this juncture is to get at least two episodes of season two up before Saturday. I say this and I know the universe will cock block me but I've gotta try. So until next time, ENJOY! R &R PLZ! **

Cas looked quite unnerved himself at Mary's manic expression and rattled off as quickly as possible. "This is the final episode of this season and it's entitled Devil Trap. The summary states 'On a mission to save their father, Sam and Dean seek help from an old family friend'."

"Just start," Mary said flatly and Cas obediently pressed play. The show began on another intro sequence now including clips from the previous episode before picking up from the phone call with Meg. TV!Dean insists on getting out of dodge though TV!Sam wants to stay and use the Colt to fight off the demons. The elder brother ultimately gets his way but they know they need help and thus turn to Bobby Singer.

"That's Bobby mom," Dean lit up for the first time. "He was like another dad to us. Me and Sammy spent a lot of time at his place."

"It was sort of split down the middle between him and Pastor Jim," Sam smiled too. "He helped train us to be hunters but he also let us be kids now and again."

"He also didn't mind pissing dad off in the process," Dean clicked his teeth.

"So how come he threatened to pump John full of buckshot?" Mary asked, just pleased to see her sons look so happy if only for a moment.

Dean lost his smile a bit, "Dad left us with Bobby and took off for a month with no contact. Bobby thought he'd died but had no way of tracing of him or anything to be sure. Anyway Bobby and I got into a fight and I took off to find dad. Just my luck, he was pulling into town at the same time. Anyway, dad got mad at Bobby for letting me get away and Bobby was mad that dad didn't have the decency to call. Bobby got his gun and Dad grabbed us and left and we didn't see him after that."

"At what point am I justified in being ticked at John?" Mary checked.

"Ah it's the end of season one, you can start being mad at him," Sam allowed and Mary nodded.

In the show, Bobby talks about an increase in demonic activity just as Meg shows up. They manage to draw her into a demon trap and tie her down to a chair. TV!Dean tries to interrogate her and she tells him that John is dead. TV!Dean loses his temper and Bobby warns them to be careful because Meg is possessing an innocent human.

"Crazy how we always manage to forget that part," Sam remarked.

The brothers then perform an exorcism while trying to get it out of Meg where John is. She finally cracks and tells them that they are holding John in a building in Jefferson but she didn't know anything else. TV!Dean wants to finish the exorcism anyway but Bobby reminds them that if they did Meg's vessel would die. TV!Dean still insists on going through with it and they exorcise Meg. Meg's human self is still alive but barely so. She tells them how she had been possessed for a year and that the demon had been telling the truth. She also mentions that John is being kept by a river and something to do with 'sunrise' but dies before she can explain.

"At least she will be at peace," Cas said solemnly.

"I hope so," Sam said.

"Ever find out what Bobby said to the EMTs?" Mary asked.

"No idea but it worked," Dean shrugged. On the TV, TV!Sam and TV!Dean get into yet another argument, this time about whether or not to bring the Colt and the roles appear to have switched between the brothers about following John's orders and what their priorities are. But TV!Sam convinces his brother to leave the gun behind.

"Guess I'm the one with daddy issues now," Sam scratched his head.

"Serenity would be a good stripper name for you," Dean concluded.

"Shut up Prudence," Sam shot back.

At the same time, TV!Sam and TV!Dean find that 'sunrise' meant Sunrise Apartments and John was being kept amongst demons essentially using human shields. They find a way around by pulling the fire alarm and stealing some gear from a firetruck to get inside. It doesn't take long for them to find the apartment and they quickly dispatch of the two demons that were guarding John. TV!Sam uses holy water to make sure John isn't possessed while the demons change vessels to get at John and the boys. The Winchesters make their escape through a window but Meg's accomplice from the previous episode is there to ambush them. They try to fight him off but TV!Dean ultimately uses the Colt to kill him and they get away.

"Aren't you glad I don't listen?" Dean reached over to ruffle Sam's hair.

"Not now dude," Sam batted him away.

The brothers take John far into the woods and TV!Dean worries about killing people being too easy when came to his brother and father. John tries console him and says he's proud of TV!Dean and what's he done to protect the family. "Finally something we agree on," Mary hugged his side but Dean made a half-groan, half-hum sound.

"You might want to hold off on that," he told her and she looked at him confused. They both turned back to the screen at the same time, TV!Dean pulled a gun on John believing him to be possessed, knowing that John would have never been proud of him using a bullet. TV!Sam comes in and takes his brother's side but they are unable to shoot John. That was when the demon showed itself, the same yellow-eyed demon they'd been hunting.

"Are you kidding me?" Mary bemoaned.

The demon taunted the brothers; revealing that TV!Sam was going to propose to Jessica and telling TV!Dean that his family never really cared about him. It also said that Meg and the accomplice were actually its children. TV!Sam demands to know it killed Mary and Jess to which it responds that they had got in the way of his plan for TV!Sam and all the children like him. TV!Dean makes a comment and the demon uses its powers to gore him. TV!Dean pleads with John to take control back over the body and when he's on the brink of death, John does. This gives TV!Sam the opening to grab the Colt and shoot John in the leg incapacitating him.

"Good call little brother," Dean said.

"Still our dad," Sam held.

Back to the episode, TV!Sam checks on TV!Dean first, then John who says that he's holding the demon inside of him and begs his son to shoot him which would kill him and the demon at the same time while TV!Dean pleads for his brother not to.

"John are you out of your mind?!" Mary shouted, Dean had to lay a calming hand on her shoulder. "You can't just ask your son to kill you!"

In the end, TV!Sam can't kill his father and the demon escapes. As TV!Sam drives his family to the hospital, John is still upset he hadn't wasted the demon but before TV!Sam can really say anything, they are rammed into by a truck driven by demon. The credits rolled and family was shell-shocked.


End file.
